DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the size of the Polish military commitment to Afghanistan is.

Des Browne: Poland currently has around 100 troops committed to Afghanistan. On 14 September they announced their intention to increase their current commitment to a strength of around 1,000, the bulk of whom are planned to deploy to Afghanistan in February 2007. Poland also plan to deploy a small contingent (approximately 20 personnel) to the Swedish-led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Mazar-e-Sharif in October 2006, rising to 30-40 from April 2007.

Aircraft

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money has been spent in each year since 2002-03 on maintenance of the Nimrod MR2 fleet; and what is proposed to be spent each year until the fleet goes out of service expressed as the cost per aircraft.

Adam Ingram: A number of areas within the Department incur expenditure on the RAF's Nimrod MR2 fleet. The financial information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost. The figures provided in the following table are the logistic support costs of the Defence Logistics Organisation that can be directly attributed to the Nimrod fleet and are for the maintenance, repair and modification costs of both the Nimrod MR2 and the Nimrod Rl airframes.
	
		
			  Financial Year  Average cost per aircraft (£ million) 
			 2002-03 2 
			 2003-04 2 
			 2004-05 2 
			 2005-06 3 
			 2006-07 3 
			 2007-08 3 
			 2008-09 3 
			 2009-10 3 
			 2010-11 4 
			  Notes: 1. Staff costs are not included. 2. Costs have not been adjusted to account for the recent loss of Nimrod MR2 XV230. 3. Costs rounded to the nearest million.

Arms Sales

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arms sales were made from British-based companies to the state of Israel in 2005.

Kim Howells: I have been asked to reply.
	Details of all arms export licences from the UK to Israel in 2005 are available in the Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls 2005 which was published in July this year. We also publish quarterly reports of all export licences issued. These, along with the annual reports, can be found on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at:
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1153388110489

Defence Airfields

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the review of defence airfields to conclude; and when he expects to publish those conclusions.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 16 October 2006
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced to the House in July 2004 during his statement on the White Paper on Delivering Security in a Changing World, that we would be undertaking an extensive review of our future requirements for airfields. There will not be a single report on the outcome of the defence airfield review. The work is being taken forward through a series of business cases assessing the best configuration of airfields both operationally and in value for money terms, for a number of future aircraft types.
	I announced the conclusions of the studies into the basing of Joint Combat aircraft and Nimrod MRA4 aircraft to the House in my statement on 17 November 2005. I will announce the results of the remaining individual studies in due course.

Iraq

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his latest assessment is of  (a) the movement of (i) terrorists and (ii) weapons across the Iran-Iraq border and  (b) the impact of such movements on the security situation in Iraq.

Des Browne: We continuously monitor and assess the security situation on the Iran/Iraq border. We assess that there is some movement of terrorists and weapons across the border and that this contributes to the violence and instability in Iraq.
	We continue to press Iran to cut its links with armed groups and to do more to improve border security and fight terrorism.
	There can be no justification for any country encouraging violence against our forces in Iraq, who are there at the request of the democratically elected Iraqi Government under a UN mandate.

Medical Services

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the Military Service Medical Corps and supporting nursing services.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 17 October 2006
	I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the Defence Medical Services (DMS). Their two key outputs are medical support to deployed operations, and the provision of healthcare to the armed forces to ensure that the maximum possible numbers of armed forces personnel are fit for duty. The DMS will continue to deliver both outputs, working where appropriate with coalition partners, the NHS, private healthcare providers and the charity sector, enhancing the high level of service to military patients that we already provide.

Nuclear Weapons

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many countries offer the reason of ultimate guarantor of national security for the maintenance of a nuclear weapons capability.

Des Browne: The Government's position has long been that Trident is the ultimate guarantor of the UK's national security while we press for multilateral negotiations towards mutual, balanced and verifiable reductions in nuclear weapons. The UK is committed to working towards a safer world, free from nuclear weapons. The reasons why other countries maintain a nuclear weapons capability are a matter for them.

UK Defence Facilities

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has held with Halliburton and KBR; and if he will seek the assurances of the two companies on their continued commitment to its UK defence facilities, with particular reference to  (a) Devonport dockyard and  (b) Appledore shipyard.

Adam Ingram: My noble Friend the Minister for Defence Procurement (Lord Drayson) met representatives of the company on 11 July to discuss a range of issues including the developing maritime industrial strategy.
	Halliburton-KBR is, currently, a single commercial entity which through its majority (51 per cent.) shareholding in Devonport Management Ltd (DML) owns and operates Devonport Royal Dockyard and is a prime support contractor to the Royal Navy providing comprehensive through-life support for submarines, surface ships and equipments. Officials maintain regular contact with both DML and its parent company Halliburton-KBR on all aspects of our joint business interests. The Appledore yard is not normally used for defence purposes.
	Recently Halliburton has stated its intention to spin off KBR as a separate entity, and officials have sought assurances that the UK's strategic interests, which are protected by conditions in the dockyard sale agreement, will be preserved. Halliburton have indicated readiness to provide these, but they remain to be negotiated.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many American Predator B unmanned aerial vehicles are planned to be purchased and at what  (a) unit and  (b) total cost.

Adam Ingram: We intend to procure two American Predator B unmanned air vehicles. The total acquisition cost is expected to be in the region of $80 million. US Congress is still to approve the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Case. Definitive costs, including unit cost, will not be known until the US Air Force has replied to the UK MOD Letter of Request, which is expected by the end of the year.

Wounded Soldiers

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors were taken into account when deciding that injured soldiers being treated in Selly Oak Hospital in the West Midlands should be treated in general wards rather than military wards; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: No wards at Selly Oak Hospital are specifically reserved for military patients. Although Service patients are nursed with other Service patients when this is clinically feasible, the over-riding factor in the treatment of any patient must be their clinical condition and need. The patient must be placed in the most appropriate specialist environment, with associated equipment and trained personnel who have the necessary skill sets. Furthermore, the current requirement for hospital in-patient beds for military patients is relatively low. For example, a total of only 13 military patients were overnight inpatients at all the Birmingham hospitals on the night of 19-20 October.
	Nevertheless, steps are being taken to ensure that military patients do not feel "cut off" from the military community. There is a significant military medical staff presence at Selly Oak, involved in the care of Service patients. They are assisted by the staff of the Aeromedical Evacuation Cell, the Military Patient Administration Cell and the Defence Medical Welfare Services. The military chain of command also works to maintain links between the individual patient and their parent single Service unit.
	As my right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary told the House on 10 October, we have increased the number of military nurses in Selly Oak; we are establishing a military managed ward in partnership with Selly Oak Hospital that we plan to have operational by the end of the year; and we are improving the welfare package for our injured troops at Selly Oak and in hospitals elsewhere—including a daily allowance to meet extra costs while they are inpatients and improved allowances for their families.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

2012 Olympics

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport who is responsible for appointments to the Olympic Delivery Authority; whether posts are advertised; how many persons applied for each existing post; how many were shortlisted for interview; what criteria were adopted for  (a) accepting and  (b) rejecting a candidate; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: Under Schedule 1, section 6(1) of the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Act 2006, I am responsible for appointing the first Chief Executive, after consulting the Chairman, and the Mayor of London. The post was advertised. Thirty four applications for the post were received of which six were short listed. All candidates were assessed against the following criteria:
	Proven track record of success in:
	a. leading the delivery of complex high profile, multi-billion pound, innovative projects on time and to budget;
	b. setting and shaping successful large-scale delivery focused organisations that can adapt to evolving priorities and responsibilities;
	c. motivational leadership, harnessing and developing high performing delivery focused teams;
	d. successfully managing hugely complex procurement arrangements, including public and private funding streams;
	e. rigorous financial management with commercial acumen, a strong record in cost control and managing complex financial budgets to high standards of probity;
	f. leading, managing, and developing complex high profile public/private sector partnerships;
	g. working with local communities and interest groups on major projects at this level to ensure public support for them;
	h. motivating people and brokering collaborative working relationships with a very wide range of key stakeholders;
	i. maintaining a positive personal and organisational profile, a high level of political awareness and an understanding of how to respond effectively to parliamentary, public and media scrutiny.
	Evidence of a well-developed knowledge and sophisticated appreciation of the strategic issues and challenges facing both the public and private sectors in delivering projects of this nature.
	All other appointments are the responsibility of the Olympic Delivery Authority. In accordance with normal public sector best practice the Olympic Delivery Authority's rules for recruitment provide for this to be done by open competition and for appointment on merit.

Departmental Expenditure

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much her Department has spent on organising and hosting conferences in the last 12 months.

David Lammy: The total cost of conferences organised and hosted by DCMS in the last 12 months was approximately £685,317.

Gambling

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many provisions are in the general codes proposed by the Gambling Commission for licensed  (a) bingo clubs,  (b) betting shops and  (c) casinos.

Richard Caborn: The Gambling Commission is still considering responses to its consultation document Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice, (published in March 2006), so the number of provisions to be included in the Commission's general codes for each type of licensed operator is still to be finalised. The Commission is aiming to publish its response to the consultation document and the final codes of practice and licence conditions by the end of November 2006.

Government Social Research Service

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost was of the Government Social Research Service in her Department in each of the last five years; how many projects have been completed by the Service in that period; and how many people are employed in the Service in her Department.

David Lammy: The estimated costs set out in the table are based on salary costs for members of the GSR employed by DCMS. They are estimates based on 2005-06 capitation rates and take account of the fact that one GSR staff member is also a member of the Government Economic Service.
	
		
			   Number of staff employed in DCMS who are GSR members  Estimated annual salary costs  Number of completed projects 
			 2002-03 1 35,944 n/a 
			 2003-04 2 89,912 5 
			 2004-05 2 89,912 6 
			 2005-06 4 181,349 7 
			 2006-07 4 181,349 5 
			 n/a = not available (1) The number of completed projects relates to projects funded from the DCMS central research budget.

Living Landmarks Competition

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on what basis the Big Lottery Fund's Living Landmarks competition was set up; which six projects are competing; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: Living Landmarks is the programme set up by the Big Lottery Fund in response to the Government's transformational grants Order. The programme will fund a small number of large scale projects of national and regional significance across the UK, which will transform, revitalise and regenerate communities.
	The six projects short listed for the People's Millions element of the programme are:
	Nottinghamshire county council, Sherwood Forest: The Living Legend
	Sustrans Ltd. Connect2 (people—places—pride)
	National Museum of Science and Industry, NMSI Collections Centre
	Eden Project Ltd., Dry Tropics Biome
	Somerset county council, WATERLINKS
	Black County Consortium Ltd., A Million People—the Black Country as Urban Park

Public Libraries

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding has been allocated to public libraries in Derbyshire in the last five years.

David Lammy: This information is not held centrally. As with the other 148 library authorities in England, core Government funding for libraries in Derbyshire is paid as part of the Local Government Financial Settlement.
	The annual public library statistics, published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), contain information relating to total revenue income per 1,000 population, total revenue expenditure per 1,000 population and population data, from which can be inferred the amount of core funding allocated by Derbyshire county council for its public libraries. The House of Commons Library holds the most up to date statistics (2004-05) and those for the preceding four years.

Tablighi Jammaat

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether  (a) Ministers and  (b) others in her Department have met representatives of Tablighi Jammaat during the last three years; and if she will make a statement.

David Lammy: There have been no meetings with representatives of Tablighi Jammaat in the last three years.

TRANSPORT

A14

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic accidents have been recorded on the A14 between junctions 47 and 49 in each year since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: The number of road traffic accidents on the A14 between junctions 47 and 49, recorded for each of the years from 1997 to date is as follows:
	
		
			   Number of accidents 
			 1997 16 
			 1998 11 
			 1999 16 
			 2000 10 
			 2001 10 
			 2002 9 
			 2003 12 
			 2004 6 
			 2005 8 
			 2006 (To June) 4

A14

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic  (a) accidents and  (b) fatalities there have been on the A14 in Suffolk in each year since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: On the A14 in Suffolk in 2005, there were 150 personal injury road accidents reported to the police resulting in four fatalities. With regards to figures for previous years, I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 9 November 2005,  Official Report, column 517W.

A14

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the A14 in Suffolk is lit by overhead lighting.

Stephen Ladyman: There is approximately 0.9km of overhead street lighting on the A14 in Suffolk, equating to 1.3 per cent. of 70.073km, which is the length of the A14 mainline carriageway measured from Felixstowe to Newmarket.

A14

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what road safety improvement schemes are planned for the A14; and when each scheme will be completed.

Stephen Ladyman: The following road safety improvement schemes are planned for the section of the A14 trunk road running from Newmarket to Felixstowe:
	The A14 Haughley New Street to Stowmarket Improvement is a road safety improvement scheme which will see the realignment of the A14 at Haughley. It is currently at public inquiry stage, with anticipated start of works in summer 2007 and completion in January 2009, subject to funding and completion of statutory procedures.
	On a smaller scale the following improvement schemes are planned over the next four years, subject to funding and changing priorities following the route's annual safety report:
	 A14 Stowmarket Filter Drain Hardening
	Hardening of material within the verge to prevent vehicles getting stuck and subsequent stone scatter onto the main carriageway and for use in setting out mobile lane closures. Due to be completed by the end of October 2006.
	 A14 Port of Felixstowe Bus Lay-by Closure
	Converting existing bus lay-by to mobile variable message sign (VMS) hardstanding. Due to be completed by end of 2006.
	 A14 Higham Westbound off slip
	Signing improvements. Due to be completed by end of 2006.
	 A14 Risby Eastbound off slip
	Road marking and signing improvements. Due to be completed by end of 2006.
	 A14 Orwell Bridge Service Station
	Road marking and signing improvements. Due to be completed by end of 2006.
	 A14 Stowmarket VMS Lay-by
	Provides for a hardstanding for a mobile VMS to allow rapid deployment of these units which provide up-to-date information to road users in the event of an incident. Due to be completed by end of the financial year 2006-07.
	This is part of a wider programme of mobile VMS hardstandings to tackle the Government's congestion busting targets.
	 A14 Lay-by Strategy
	This is an on-going programme of lay-by improvements covering all lay-bys on the A14 between Cambridge and Felixstowe. Phase 3 is currently considering improvements to westbound lay-bys at Baylham and Newmarket and eastbound at Copdock. Work programmed for 2007-08. Subsequent phases will continue to deliver a rolling programme year on year.
	 A14 Signing Review Phase 1
	Provision of renewal of all road signs at Wherstead and Nacton Interchanges. Work programmed for 2007-08.
	 A14 Bury St. Edmunds Road/Rail containment
	Provision of concrete barrier between road and rail. Works programmed for 2008-09.
	 A14/A11 Newmarket Bypass Road/Rail containment
	Provision of concrete barrier between road and rail. Works programmed beyond 2008-09.
	 A14 St. Saviours Interchange
	Anti-skid surfacing application, road markings and signing. Programmed for financial year 2010-11.
	 A14 Nacton Service Station eastbound off slip
	Road markings and signing. Programmed for financial year 2010-11.

A14

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the junctions on the A14 in order of the volume of traffic that uses each one.

Stephen Ladyman: The Highways Agency does not hold records of volumes of traffic that use each junction. The table shows the 2005 traffic flows on each section of the A14 between Newmarket and Felixstowe.
	
		
			  A14 Newmarket to Felixstowe traffic flows-2005 
			   Vehicles per day 
			  Description  Eastbound  Westbound 
			 J36 (A11) to J37 (A142) 36,516 38,844 
			 J37 (A142) to J38 (A11) 18,984 39,793 
			 J38 (A11) to J42 (A1302) 21,156 20,659 
			 J42 (A1302) to J43 (A143) 20,561 20,389 
			 J43 (A143) to J44 (A134) 20,561 20,389 
			 J44 (A134) to J47 (A1088) 19,979 20,131 
			 J47 (A1088) to J49 (A1308) 19,979 20,131 
			 J49 (A1308) to J50 (A1120) 19,979 20,131 
			 J50 (A1120) to J51 (A140) 19,979 20,131 
			 J51 (A140) to J53 (A1156) 23,886 24,034 
			 J53 (A1156) to J55 (A12) 24,322 22,604 
			 J55 (A12) to J56 (A137) 27,254 25,881 
			 J56 (A1137) to J57 (A1189) 27,254 25,881 
			 J57 (A1189) to J58 (A12) 27,254 25,881 
			 J58 (A12) J60 (A154) 16,680 17,263 
			 J60 (A14) to J61 (A154) 17,263 16,680 
			 J61 (A154) to J62 (A154) 16,680 17,263

A14

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents have occurred on the A14 in  (a) Suffolk and  (b) in total in each year since 1997, broken down by the junction number closest to where the accident occurred.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested is not available.

A14

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the financial cost has been of closing or repairing the A14 after road accidents in each year since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested is not available.

A14

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road accidents have occurred on the A14 where a reported contributory factor was  (a) road environment,  (b) vehicle defects,  (c) injudicious action,  (d) driver/rider error,  (e) impairment or distraction,  (f) behaviour or inexperience,  (g) impaired vision,  (h) pedestrian action and  (i) other factors in each year since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested is not available.

A14

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how often  (a) one carriageway and  (b) two carriageways have been closed (i) for routine maintenance or upgrade and (ii) due to a road traffic accident on the (A) eastbound A14 and (B) westbound A14 in each year since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: Record keeping for carriageway closures on the section of road, A14 between Newmarket and Felixstowe, started in the year 2000. Between 2000 and 2006 there has been more than one change in the way data is recorded. It is not possible to provide year-by-year statistics due to those changes.
	The most accurate information the Agency is able to provide is given in the table as follows:
	
		
			  Closures 2000-06 
			   Number 
			  Routine maintenance and other work  
			 Eastbound lane closures 1,339 
			 Westbound lane closures 1,290 
			 Eastbound total carriageway closures 50 
			 Westbound total carriageway closures 61 
			   
			  Incidents  
			 Eastbound lane closures 130 
			 Westbound lane closures 124 
			 Eastbound total carriageway closures 21 
			 Westbound total carriageway closures 15

Aviation Emissions

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his latest estimate is of greenhouse gas emissions from aeroplane contrails in flights over the  (a) UK and  (b) EU; and what the levels were (i) five years and (ii) 10 years ago.

Gillian Merron: The Government do not produce data specifically relating to contrails. Information on aviation emissions is contained in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Statistical Release 'UK Emissions of Greenhouse Gases' at the following web link:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/globatmos/gagccukem.htm.

Congestion Charging

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has held with local authorities and passenger transport executive groups on congestion charging.

Stephen Ladyman: Last November the Department awarded pump priming money to seven areas to take forward innovative ways to tackle congestion. Ministers and officials continue to discuss with the relevant local authorities and passenger transport authorities, Cardiff Council and Transport for London, what role road pricing could play in tackling congestion. We are working closely with authorities to ensure that any schemes developed are consistent and easily understood by motorists. Pilots will provide valuable experience that will inform decisions about moving towards a national scheme.

Cyclists

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the proportion of cyclists aged under 16 wearing helmets in each of the last five years.

Stephen Ladyman: Surveys of cycle helmet wearing rates are carried out for the Department about every two years. These show that cycle helmets were worn by 15 per cent. of children in 1999 and in 2002 and 14 per cent. in 2004. The 2006 survey of cycle helmet wearing rates is currently under way and will report next year.
	There is a significant difference in cycle helmet wearing rates between boys and girls. In the 2004 survey, 11 per cent. of boys wore helmets and 26 per cent. of girls.

Driving Standards Agency

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for Driving Standards Agency supercentres in South Yorkshire and the East Midlands.

Stephen Ladyman: The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) plans to create multi-purpose test centres (MPTC) at Rotherham, Leicester (south), Lincoln, Nottingham (east) and Burton-on-Trent.

Driving Test Centres (Worksop)

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will retain Worksop as a driving test centre.

Stephen Ladyman: The Driving Standards Agency intends to retain a driving test centre (DTC) in Worksop. Worksop DTC is currently situated in premises owned by the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA). The DCA have served notice which terminates our tenancy agreement on the 31 March 2007. A potential replacement property has been identified in Worksop.
	DSA should be in a position to relocate to its new premises in time for the expiry of the occupancy agreement at the end of March 2007.

M25

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why resurfacing of concrete sections is not being undertaken during the repairs to the M25 between Leatherhead and Reigate.

Stephen Ladyman: The current repairs to the M25 between Leatherhead and Reigate are to replace defective carriageway around drains and manholes at isolated locations.
	Generally the concrete carriageway on this stretch of the M25 is in good condition and will not require resurfacing for maintenance needs within the period of the Highways Agency's current five year forward programme. However when it does need to be resurfaced a quieter surfacing will be used as a matter of course.

M6

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what public consultations he plans to hold on the widening of the M6 motorway between junctions 11a and 19.

Stephen Ladyman: An extensive M6 widening public consultation is scheduled for the end of autumn 2007 supported by exhibitions at a number of locations along the route of the scheme. Exhibitions will be staffed by Highways Agency officers and their consultants.
	Plans will be used to illustrate the widening proposals and any alternatives. A wide range of supporting information will also be available at each exhibition.
	A detailed consultation plan will be developed and placed on the Highways Agency's M6 J11A-19 website well in advance of consultation taking place. An outline consultation plan is scheduled to be available at the time of TPI Entry scheduled for spring 2007. The route and design detail shown in the consultation will be indicative only and subject to the outcome of the consultation.

Railways

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contingency plans are in place to ensure continuity of service on rail services in the event of franchise business failure.

Tom Harris: Contingency plans to ensure continuity of service on rail services exist within DfT and are kept under constant review.

Railways

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria were used to determine the outcome of the South West trains franchise; and what the cost difference is between the new and old contracts.

Tom Harris: The process used to evaluate bids was the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) evaluation model applicable to suppliers to the public sector. This approach utilised a scoring methodology assessing the bidder's approach, deployment, assessment and review, results/evidence (RADAR) to the contribution of 22 operational criteria to the achievement of the three principal delivery plans of performance, revenues and costs.
	The current franchise subsidy committed for the last year of the franchise (which expires in February 2007) is £120 million. The new franchise will provide, over its 10 year term, a net premium of £1,191 million.

Railways

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what plans he has to ensure that the £1.3 billion payment required to be made to the Treasury as part of the East Coast Main Line rail franchise agreement is safeguarded;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to ensure continuation of the East Coast Main Line rail service following GNER's parent company's default on its bond payment in the United States and filing of Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection; and if he will make a statement.

Tom Harris: GNER has met all its contractual obligations, including the making of premium payments. The Department continues to monitor the Sea Containers position closely. The Secretary of State has legal powers to ensure the continued delivery of rail services on any franchise.

Road Safety

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what response he has made to the report commissioned by his Department from TRL on the risks resulting from drivers' vision being obstructed by A-pillars.

Stephen Ladyman: The research undertaken by the Department on A-pillar obscuration established that while the A-pillar may have had an influence on an accident, other confounding issues such as junction layout, street furniture and driver behaviour may also have played a part. I am concerned that we address, where practicable, issues that affect road safety but also recognise that any such actions must be supported by sound evidence. I have therefore instructed officials that we should continue to collect evidence on this issue and keep it under review.

Road Safety

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the proportion of serious road traffic accidents that have involved a speed limit breach in each year since 1994.

Stephen Ladyman: The percentage of serious personal injury road traffic accidents that have 'exceeding the speed limit' as a contributory factor in 2005 is available in the article "Contributory factors to road accidents" published on 28 September 2006. These data are not available for personal injury road accidents prior to 2005.
	A copy of the article "Contributory factors to road accidents" is available in the Libraries of the House.

Road Safety

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to encourage riders of powered two-wheelers to make sure that they have adequate lighting on their bikes.

Stephen Ladyman: The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989, as amended (RVLR) govern the use of lights on vehicles. The RVLR require that headlights are used at night and when visibility is seriously reduced, which is generally when the driver can not see for more than 100 metres. These requirements are also explained in the Highway Code.
	Enforcement of road traffic law is an operational matter for individual Chief Police Officers; their officers can issue verbal warnings, fixed penalty notices or report the motorcyclist for formal prosecution.
	Through the THINK! campaign we also provide advice to motorcyclists to help them to remain safe on the roads, including the line: 'dipped headlights, even in good daylight, can help you to be seen.'
	Motorcyclists are aware of the benefits of increased conspicuity and often voluntarily make themselves more visible in daytime by using dipped beam headlamps. Since 2003 motorcycle manufacturers have voluntarily fitted devices to activate the headlamps automatically when the ignition is on, both in daytime and at night.

Road Safety

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of serious road traffic accidents involving speed limit excession in the last period for which figures are available also involved  (a) unlicensed drivers,  (b) unregistered drivers,  (c) uninsured drivers,  (d) drunk drivers and  (e) stolen vehicles.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested on unlicensed drivers, unregistered drivers and uninsured drivers is not available.
	Of accidents which had 'exceeding the speed limit' as a contributory factor 12 per cent. also involved at least one driver who failed or failed to provide a breath test and 4 per cent. also involved at least one 'stolen vehicle', reported as a contributory factor. A serious accident is defined as an accident in which at least one person is seriously injured but no person is killed.

Roads

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of new  (a) motorway and  (b) trunk road have been built in each year since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: I refer the right hon. Member to my answers of 19 December 2005,  Official Report, column 2321W, and 27 June 2005,  Official Report, columns 1263-66W, for the information between 1997 and 2005. Between 19 December 2005 and 12 October 2006 19.7 miles of trunk motorway and 9.9 miles of all-purpose trunk road schemes were completed.

Safety Cameras

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the fourth year report into speed camera effectiveness took account of reduced traffic volumes at camera sites.

Stephen Ladyman: Data on traffic volumes are not routinely collected at camera sites. Traffic volumes can increase or reduce on a particular road for many reasons. Any significant changes to the traffic volumes at camera sites are likely to be reflected in the regular vehicle speeds surveys that are undertaken by partnerships.
	The independent four year evaluation of the national safety camera programme analyses both 85th percentile and average speeds at over 3,800 camera sites. The report concludes that fixed cameras, which are permanently in place, have been particularly effective at reducing vehicle speeds at camera sites. These sites show a 70 per cent. reduction in the percentage of vehicles exceeding the speed limit, and a 91 per cent. reduction in the percentage of vehicles exceeding the speed limit by more than 15 mph.

Safety Cameras

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made to the contribution to road safety made by speed cameras; and whether he has made an estimate of the number of road traffic fatalities avoided by the use of road traffic cameras.

Stephen Ladyman: The independent four-year evaluation report of the National Safety Camera Programme assessed the effectiveness of cameras and found that after allowing for the long term trend, there was a 42 per cent. reduction in death and injury at camera sites, including a reduction of over 100 fatalities per year. The report, published on 15 December 2005, is available in the Library of the House, and on the Department's website.

Transport Innovation Fund

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria will be used to judge the next round of bidding for Transport Innovation Fund grants; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The January 2006 Transport Innovation Fund guidance (http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_about/documents/pdf/dft_about_ pdf_611056.pdf) set out the requirements bidders would need to satisfy to reach TIF programme entry. Schemes will be judged by their performance against five main criteria:
	a. Fit with national, regional and local strategy.
	b. Economic appraisal and value for money—based on the DfT's New Approach to Appraisal ("NATA");
	c. Deliverability—based on the methodology for the development of a Major Scheme Business Case;
	d. Financial—Funding sources, financial risk and financial sustainability;
	e. Commercial—the strategy for procurement and management of commercial risks.
	Further detailed guidance on business case requirements will be published shortly.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Roof Terrace

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many recorded accidents there have been which resulted in  (a) minor injury and  (b) serious injury on the Roof Terrace of the House in each of the last five years; and what the primary cause of each accident was.

Nick Harvey: There have been no recorded accidents. The recent closure of the Roof Terrace on health and safety grounds is a preventative measure. This follows evidence that due to insufficient preventative measures, people visiting the Roof Terrace have strayed beyond the secure area and could be in danger. Plans are being worked up to install temporary fencing to enable part of the Roof Terrace to reopen while a permanent solution is sought.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government have taken to improve the functioning of the banking system in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: Much of the banking sector in Iraq is state owned and in a very poor financial condition. The range of financial services available is very limited. Restructuring of the banking system is widely identified as a high priority in creating the conditions for non-oil economic growth. The United States (US) has led on banking sector reform in partnership with the Iraqi authorities. This will remain a priority for the Government of Iraq in the coming years. DFID works with the Ministry of Finance in Iraq to take forward other essential reforms including reform of state subsidies, promoting public investment and reforming the oil sector.
	In Afghanistan the situation is similar. Despite some progress in recent years the banking sector remains extremely weak. As with Iraq, the sector is dominated by the state owned banks but in Afghanistan financial services, such as money transfers, are often carried out under the informal Hawala system. The US has also led on banking sector reform in Afghanistan. At the request of the Government of Afghanistan, DFID has focused on assisting budget planning and execution and on support to tax reform, where we are the lead donor.

Angola

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effect on Angola of ending World Food Programme operations there.

Hilary Benn: Since 2002, when the conflict ended, the World Food Programme (WFP) has provided humanitarian support to Angola. This has covered a range of activities, including feeding operations, re-building infrastructure to enable access to remote regions with populations in need, and providing passenger air transport service for the humanitarian community. Last year, DFID provided over £1 million to WFP to support these activities in Angola.
	The food security situation in Angola has improved significantly since 2002. WFP's operations are scheduled to end by early 2007, with WFP retaining a residual presence for capacity building and monitoring for the remainder of the year.
	DFID's assessment is that Angola's short-term humanitarian needs are much less significant than the levels of chronic poverty that make hunger a long-term problem in the country. Mortality rates in Angola are driven more by inadequate water, sanitation and health care than by food supply shortages. This is the situation for many countries in the region.
	DFID is already providing substantial support in these areas through a £3.5 million grant to UNICEF's operation in Angola.
	Over the next three years, DFID will provide at least £7.5 million to support WFP's preparedness for, and ability to respond, to humanitarian crises. This is over and above any contribution we will make to individual WFP appeals. This will complement the work we are already doing in the Southern African region to improve food security information systems, so that we can respond quickly and appropriately to hunger needs.
	DFID will continue to carefully monitor the food security situation in Angola.

Departmental Expenditure

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on organising and hosting conferences in the last 12 months.

Gareth Thomas: Conferences are organised and paid for (through a combination of sole and joint funding arrangements) by divisions throughout the Department. The information relating to each conference could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Direct Budget Support

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the number of staff required to carry out the political analysis necessary to deliver Direct Budget Support programmes.

Gareth Thomas: Political analysis is one of a range of tasks involved in the delivery of Direct Budget Support, and is generally carried out by DFID governance advisers, working with other professional colleagues (such as livelihoods and social development advisers), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, experts from other donors and developing country partners.
	DFID's regional divisions make their own assessments of the balance of different professional disciplines required to deliver their programmes, within overall staffing ceilings set corporately. We use a strategic workforce planning process to ensure that DFID recruits and retains the right mix of staff to meet operational needs.
	To meet the growing demand for governance work DFID has increased the number of governance advisers. There are currently over 120 in post, the majority of them on operational programmes. 19 are currently in African countries in receipt of budget support.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support his Department gives to orphans in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: Although there are no reliable statistics for the number of orphans in the country, USAID report that there are 5,000 orphans in Baghdad alone.
	DFID support to orphans has been through our Civil Society Service Fund (CSF), worth £5 million over two years, which focuses on strengthening the capacity of Iraqi civil society organisations to better address the needs of poor and vulnerable groups, especially women and young people. We have, for example, funded a project which provides support to widow-headed households and orphans in central Iraq.
	In addition, DFID has made a £30 million contribution to the United Nations trust fund, part of which supports the activities carried out by UNICEF to help children and vulnerable groups including orphans. Examples of UNICEFs work in Iraq include:
	Supporting the Iraqi Ministry of Health to carry out measles/mumps/rubella and polio campaigns, this has reached 95 per cent. of targeted children and ensures that Iraq's polio-free status is maintained.
	In collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF continues to implement the Targeted Nutrition Programme, with operates in 36 districts (population 7.2 million) with high levels of malnutrition and poverty.
	UNICEF supports the promotion of rights and participation of children, with efforts to build and strengthen a protective environment for children through community-based strategic approaches.
	UNICEF funds effective mine risk education programmes.
	Further information on DFID's Iraq programme can be found at:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/countries/asia/iraq.asp

Post Conflict Reconstruction Unit

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the role is of the Post Conflict Reconstruction Unit; how much funding the unit has received in each of the last three financial years; what funding is planned for the unit in each of the next three financial years; in which countries it has been operational since its inception; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: I refer the hon. Member to the reply the International Development Secretary gave on the role of the Post Conflict Reconstruction Unit (PCRU) on 20 July 2006,  Official Report, column 577W.
	The PCRU spent £1.6 million in financial year (FY) 04/05, £3.7 million in FY 05/06, and has an allocation of £10.5 million for FY 06/07 and £10.5 million in FY 07/08. Funding for FY 08/09 and FY 09/10 will be determined next year following the outcome of Comprehensive Spending Review.
	The unit has been operational in the following countries since its inception:
	In Afghanistan, it facilitated an assessment and plan for all of the UK's involvement in Helmand Province including activities to help achieve security, promote economic development, to help reduce the production and trafficking of illicit drugs and to assist in the creation of a provincial government that is able to plan for, and deliver, basic services. It has then provided seven staff and consultants over the last eight months, prior to the establishment of longer-term staffing arrangements by DFID and FCO, to help design and implement specific programmes including establishing a Provincial Development Council to determine priorities for the province and enhancing coordination between the Afghan army and police. They have also helped deliver quick impact programmes such as better irrigation, more reliable power supply in a hospital, protection for police facilities and extending reception of the BBC World Service Pashto Service. PCRU has also provided the majority of the staff of the Strategic Delivery Unit in the British embassy in Kabul, which monitors the impact of all UK activities in Afghanistan and helps to ensure consistency in delivering UK's security, counter-narcotics and development objectives;
	In Iraq, it is providing the team leader and key support staff for the UK-led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Basra which coordinates and helps deliver UK, US and Danish assistance to the Iraqi government in the south, focusing on the Basra Province. The PRT has enabled the Basra Provincial Council identify its priorities and is helping the council turn these into specific projects in areas such as water supply and economic development, secure funding from central government and put in place the systems needed to ensure effective implementation. It has worked closely with the British military to ensure the complementarity of their quick impact projects with the priorities of the Council;
	In Sudan, it is helping finance and manage a project to enable the Africa Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) to promote the benefits of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) to encourage non-signatories to join;
	In Lebanon during the war, PCRU supported cross-government assessments of the emerging crisis and identification of options for the UK's involvement in Lebanon's recovery. Subsequently, it has helped the British embassy develop projects to contribute to peace building and reconstruction through seconding a member of staff, and contributed to developing proposals for British Government support to enhancing the Lebanese government's ability to bring stability to the south;
	It has also provided advice on specific British security and justice sector programmes (including policing) in Yemen, Sri Lanka, the Balkans and the Occupied Territories.

Somaliland

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much multilateral aid the UK has given to Somaliland in each of the last five years; through which organisations it has been distributed; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: Much of the funding that DFID channels through multilaterals is not specific to Somaliland. However, we estimate that about 30-40 per cent. of the overall multilateral assistance to Somalia benefits Somaliland. The imputed UK multilateral share to Somalia is as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   EC  Other  UN  World Bank  Grand total 
			 2000 3.5 0.0 1.0 0.0 4.5 
			 2001 2.9 0.0 0.9 0.0 3.8 
			 2002 1.9 0.0 0.9 0.0 2.8 
			 2003 2.8 0.0 0.8 0.0 3.6 
			 2004 3.6 0.0 0.6 0.0 4.2 
			  Note: Figures for 2005 have yet to be published. 
		
	
	DFID's bilateral programme to Somalia also channels some aid through multilaterals. The following is a breakdown over the last five financial years:
	
		
			  £ million 
			  Financial year  Other  UN  World Bank  Multilateral total  Bilateral total  Percentage of bilateral programme channelled to multilaterals 
			 2001-02 0.1 0.4 0.0 0.5 1.7 27.2 
			 2002-03 0.0 1.3 0.0 1.3 3.1 41.6 
			 2003-04 0.0 2.5 0.0 2.5 4.0 62.5 
			 2004-05 0.0 2.8 0.1 2.9 5.8 50.7 
			 2005-06( )(Provisional) 0.0 10.3 0.1 10.4 18.8 55.7 
		
	
	The following are some examples of DFID's current support to UN agencies working in Somaliland:
	UNESCO Primary Textbooks Programme and a national education programme with UNICEF
	UNDP's Rule of Law and Security (RoLS) Programme
	ILO's Employment, Enterprise and Livelihoods Programme (EEL) contributing to economic growth and diversification in Somaliland
	UN-Habitat's activities to strengthen and expand urban planning and capacity building of local councils as part of the EC/UNDP-funded Somalia Urban Development Programme (SUDP)

NORTHERN IRELAND

A and E Departments

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of people attending accident and emergency departments in Northern Ireland have presented with  (a) alcohol-related conditions and  (b) injuries in which alcohol was a contributory cause in each of the last three years.

Paul Goggins: Information collected centrally on the number of people attending Accident and Emergency Departments records only the total number of first and follow up attendances at each A and E Department. No detail of the condition with which patients presented is held centrally.
	Information is available on the number of emergency admissions(1) to hospitals in Northern Ireland, where the primary or secondary diagnosis was an alcohol-related condition or a combination of an alcohol-related condition and an injury. The information is presented in the table, for 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 (the latest year for which data is available).
	 (a) The percentage of emergency admissions(1) to hospitals in Northern Ireland, where the primary or secondary diagnosis was an alcohol-related condition.
	(1 )Discharges and Deaths are used as an approximation to admissions. It is possible that any individual could be admitted to hospital more than once in any year and will thus be counted more than once as an admission.
	
		
			  Emergency admissions for alcohol related conditions 
			   Percentage 
			 2003-04 4.02 
			 2004-05 4.36 
			 2005-06 4.38 
		
	
	 (b) The percentage of emergency admissions(1) to hospitals in Northern Ireland, where the primary or secondary diagnosis was a combination of an alcohol-related condition and an injury.
	
		
			  Emergency admissions for alcohol related conditions and injuries 
			   Percentage 
			 2003-04 1.14 
			 2004-05 1.09 
			 2005-06 1.06 
			  Source:  Hospital Inpatient System

Best Practice Scheme

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff in  (a) each Government Department in Northern Ireland, including the Northern Ireland Office, and  (b) the voluntary and community sectors have participated in the Northern Ireland best practice scheme in the last 12 months.

David Hanson: The following table shows the number of staff in each Northern Ireland Department and the community and voluntary sectors who have booked as delegates for events run as part of the Northern Ireland best practice scheme. A figure is also provided for the number of other public sector employees who booked places. The figures cover the period October 2005 to September 2006.
	
		
			  Department/organisation  Number of places booked 
			 Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister 8 
			 Department of Agriculture and Rural Development 19 
			 Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure 4 
			 Department of Education 3 
			 Department for Employment and Learning 13 
			 Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment 6 
			 Department of the Environment 28 
			 Department of Finance and Personnel 72 
			 Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety 16 
			 Department for Regional Development 28 
			 Department for Social Development 37 
			 Northern Ireland Office 2 
			 Voluntary and community organisations 43 
			 Other public sector organisations 320

Church Schools (Admissions)

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether it is the policy of the Government that the proposed new local authorities in Northern Ireland should have the power to require new church schools to reserve up to a quarter of admissions places for pupils from other denominations or faiths; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The Education and Inspections Bill 2006 does not apply to Northern Ireland which has its own education legislation. There is no provision in NI legislation for faith schools. All grant-aided schools in Northern Ireland are open to members of all faiths and none. The Government have no plans to introduce faith schools in Northern Ireland.

Devolution

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland by whom policy on academic selection in Northern Ireland will be decided following the St Andrews talks in Scotland.

Maria Eagle: While the Government's clear view is that abolishing academic selection would be in the best interests of education and the economy in Northern Ireland, it has accepted that the final decision on this matter should rest with local political parties provided there is an early restoration of the Assembly.
	The Government have decided that, provided the Northern Ireland political parties have endorsed the St. Andrews agreement by 10 November, it will amend the Education (NI) Order 2006 to reflect the revised target date of 26 March 2007 for restoration of the Assembly in order to provide for a restored Assembly to vote on the issue of academic selection.

Ferry Services

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will discuss with the ferry operators between Belfast and Birkenhead ways of reducing embarkation and disembarkation times; and if he will make a statement.

David Cairns: No. This is essentially an operational issue between the shipping services, port users and the port authorities.
	My officials have, however, drawn your question to the attention of officials at the port of Belfast.

Fire Service

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many fire officers in Northern Ireland have been hospitalised as a result of being assaulted while on duty in the last 12 months.

Paul Goggins: No firefighters have been hospitalised as a result of assaults while on duty in the last 12 months.

Freedom of Information Act

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what total sum has been received by his Department for the provision of information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in its first year of operation.

Peter Hain: The Freedom of Information Act allows for public authorities to determine when the cost of processing a request will exceed the appropriate limit, which for central Government is set at £600 and for the wider public sector £450. In this instance the public authority may decide to either approach the applicant to help them refine their request and where possible to bring it under the appropriate limit. Alternatively, public authorities may charge the applicant the cost of processing the request. There is, however, no obligation for departments to provide information if the cost of processing the request exceeds the appropriate limit. The total sum of monies received by the Northern Ireland Office in the first year of Freedom of Information, for a request that was over the fees limit, was £650.
	Public authorities may also charge for disbursements when handling requests where it is deemed appropriate. The Northern Ireland Office has not charged for disbursements. Further information on the FOI fees regime can be found on the DC A web site at http://www.foi.gov.uk/practitioner/feesguidance.htm.

Homelessness

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many households in  (a) Upper Bann,  (b) Portadown,  (c) Lurgan,  (d) Banbridge and  (e) Northern Ireland have presented to the Housing Executive as homeless in each of the last three years; and how many of them have been accepted as full duty cases in that time.

David Hanson: The information is not held by constituency and is not therefore available in the form requested. The number of applicants presenting, and accepted, as homeless for the Housing Executive district office areas of Portadown, Banbridge, Lurgan and Northern Ireland as a whole, for the last three financial years, is as follows:
	
		
			   Presenters  Acceptances 
			  2003-04   
			 Portadown 328 82 
			 Lurgan 305 84 
			 Banbridge 332 137 
			 Northern Ireland 17,150 8,954 
			
			  2004-05   
			 Portadown 369 120 
			 Lurgan 349 122 
			 Banbridge 343 134 
			 Northern Ireland 17,362 8,470 
			
			  2005-06   
			 Portadown 326 114 
			 Lurgan 424 136 
			 Banbridge 445 156 
			 Northern Ireland 20,121 9,749

Homelessness

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many households in  (a) Upper Bann,  (b) Portadown,  (c) Lurgan,  (d) Banbridge and  (e) Northern Ireland have been homeless for a minimum of (i) three months, (ii) six months, (iii) nine months and (iv) one year in each of the last three years.

David Hanson: The information is not held by parliamentary constituency and is not therefore available in the form requested. The most up to date available figures, by Housing Executive district office, is as follows:
	
		
			  As at 31 March  > 3 months( 1)  > 6 months( 1)  > 9 months( 1)  > 1 year( 1) 
			  2004 
			 Banbridge 42 30 25 21 
			 Lurgan 41 27 17 11 
			 Portadown 18 14 7 3 
			 Northern Ireland 4,876 4,003 3,244 2,579 
			  
			  2005 
			 Banbridge 58 49 39 29 
			 Lurgan 53 37 29 21 
			 Portadown 42 31 18 18 
			 Northern Ireland 5,959 4,995 4,080 3,339 
			  
			  2006 
			 Banbridge 108 86 72 59 
			 Lurgan 65 48 33 25 
			 Portadown 35 26 17 13 
			 Northern Ireland 7,370 6,309 5,203 4,252 
			 (1 )All figures are mutually inclusive.

Hospital Chaplains

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken by each Health and Social Services Trust in Northern Ireland to ensure that the  (a) appointment and  (b) representation of hospital chaplains complies with equality legislation.

Paul Goggins: All Health and Social Services Trusts are expected to comply with equality legislation when appointing any member of staff including hospital chaplains.
	Trusts are only required to make remunerated appointments where there is a reasonable need for a particular faith group. Honorary appointments can be considered for the other smaller faith groups where a remunerated appointment is not considered necessary.

Hospital Staff (Assaults)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many accident and emergency hospital staff in Northern Ireland have been the victims of assault while on duty in each of the last three years, broken down by hospital.

Paul Goggins: Recorded figures for assault of accident and emergency hospital staff while on duty in each of the last three years are:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2006 142 
			 2005 112 
			 2004 144 
		
	
	The figures broken down by hospital are as follows:
	
		
			  Trust  2006  2005  2004 
			 Altnagelvin 9 10 18 
			 Armagh and Dungannon 0 1 0 
			 Belfast City 51 14 45 
			 Causeway 4 0 17 
			 Craigavon and Banbridge 0 0 0 
			 Craigavon Area Hospital 5 5 9 
			 Downe Hospital 1 1 1 
			 Lagan Valley Hospital 2 1 1 
			 Mater 17 19 20 
			 Newry and Mourne 1 5 1 
			 Royal Group of Hospitals 12 3 9 
			 Erne Hospital 12 24 0 
			 Tyrone County Hospital 3 13 0 
			 Ulster 9 10 20 
			 Antrim Hospital 11 3 2 
			 Mid Ulster Hospital 4 1 1 
			 Whiteabbey Hospital 1 2 0 
			 Total 142 112 144 
		
	
	My Department is fully committed to improving health and safety protection for all Health and Personal Social Services (HPSS) staff. Measures have been put in place to minimise risks to staff by installing panic buttons in A and E units, toughened glass at reception areas and CCTV cameras. A Zero Tolerance Group has been established and is currently reviewing procedures in relation to risk assessment and management of violent incidents against staff to ensure the safety of employees while at work.

Hospital Staff (Assaults)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many hospital staff in Northern Ireland have been hospitalised as a result of assault while on duty in each of the last three years.

Paul Goggins: There have been no recorded instances of hospital staff having been hospitalised as a result of an attack while on duty in each of the last three years.
	Measures have been put in place to minimise risks to staff including 'the guardian angel personal security system', personal alarms to reduce the risk to lone workers, installation of panic buttons in A and E units, toughened glass at reception areas and CCTV cameras. A Zero Tolerance Group has been established and is currently reviewing procedures in relation to risk assessment and management of violent incidents against staff to ensure the safety of all Health and Personal Social Services (HPSS) employees while at work.

Hospitals

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will assess standards of cleanliness in Northern Ireland's acute hospitals.

Paul Goggins: The assessment of cleanliness standards in Northern Ireland Acute Hospitals was included in the first independent assessment of environmental cleanliness standards in HSS Trusts which was published on 10 October 2006.

Parliamentary Questions

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 9 October 2006,  Official Report, columns 329-30W, on parliamentary questions, which answers to parliamentary questions have  (a) been drafted by the North/South Ministerial Council Joint Secretariat and  (b) received input from the North/South Ministerial Council Joint Secretariat.

David Hanson: The following table provides details of those parliamentary questions in respect of which Northern Ireland Civil Service officials in the North/South Ministerial Council Joint Secretariat provided either draft answers, or input to parliamentary questions from Members of the House of Commons in the 12 months up to the 30 September 2006.
	
		
			  Official Report date of response  Official Report column number 
			 14 December 2005 2094W 
			 17 March 2006 2518W 
			 20 March 2006 42W 
			 22 March 2006 414W 
			 27 March 2006 686W 
			 27 March 2006 686W 
			 18 April 2006 492W 
			 18 April 2006 493W 
			 18 April 2006 494W 
		
	
	
		
			  Official Report date of response where part-input provided  Official Report column number 
			 6 March 2006 1127W 
			 26 April 2006 1191W 
			 23 May 2006 1605W 
			 7 June 2006 700W 
			 20 July 2006 693W

Roads

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the expected completion date is for the upgrading of the Belfast to Dublin Road; what sections are programmed to be upgraded; when the upgrading is scheduled; what sections have no dates for planned upgrading; and if he will make a statement.

David Cairns: The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to my hon. Friend in response to this question.
	 Letter from Malcolm McKibbin, dated 23 October 2006:
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question regarding what the expected completion date is for the upgrading of the Belfast to Dublin Road; what sections are programmed to be upgraded; when the upgrading is scheduled and what sections have no dates for planned upgrading.
	As this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service, I have been asked to reply.
	The Belfast-Dublin link forms part of one of the 5 Key Transport Corridors at the upper tier of the region's long distance routes. The Department for Regional Development's Roads Service is committed to upgrade the northern part of this link, comprising the M1/A1 to at least dual carriageway standard by 2009.
	The following table provides details of improvement schemes affecting this route that are included in Roads Service's current Strategic Route Improvement Programme. These include:
	schemes already under construction; and
	high priority schemes in a preparation pool that are being processed through the statutory procedures that are expected to be implemented within the next 5 years or so subject to clearing the statutory procedures, having a satisfactory economic appraisal and the availability of funds at the time.
	
		
			  Scheme  Description  Status  Timetable 
			 M1/Westlink Upgrade Widen 2.6 km of motorway and 1.4 km of dual carriageway to 3+3 lanes including 2 underpass junctions. Under construction Work has commenced. Anticipated completion spring 2009 
			 A1 Loughbrickland to Beech Hill Upgrade 9.0 km of single carriageway to standard dual carriageway Under construction Work has commenced. Anticipate completion November 2006 
			 A1 Newry to Dundalk Link Road (NI Section) 4.3 km of high standard dual carriageway with no central reserve crossings and 1 grade separated junction. (+10 km in ROI) Under construction Work has commenced. Anticipate completion end 2007 
			 A1 Junction Improvement Provide a flyover at A1/Cascum Road, Banbridge Under construction Ongoing private developer led works agreed for new shopping centre 
			 A1 Beech Hill to Cloghogue 12.1 km of high standard dual carriageway with no central reserve crossings and 5 grade separated junctions Included in Preparation Pool Anticipated to commence in 2007 with completion in 2009 
			 A1 Junction Improvements Provide flyovers at 4 key junctions on Al Included in Preparation Pool Anticipated to commence in 2007 with completion in 2009 
		
	
	In August 2006, Minister Cairns unveiled a proposed additional 400 million package of major improvements to the trunk road network during the period up to 2015. The proposed package was issued for public consultation that concluded on 29 September 2006. Roads Service is currently considering responses with a view to finalising the extended programme.
	The following table provides details of improvement schemes affecting this route that were included in the Consultation Document and that had performed well against the five key criteria of environment safety, economy, accessibility and integration and were included in the proposed package. (No decision has yet been made as to whether these schemes will be included in Roads Service's Forward Planning Schedule, so no commencement date can be given for any of these schemes.)
	
		
			  Scheme  Description 
			 M1 Slip Roads at Black's Road 2 west facing on/off slips at the Ml/Black's Road junction 
			 M1/A1 Sprucefield Bypass 4Km of high standard dual carriageway from Ml to Al at Hillsborough including flyover 
			 A1 Junction Improvements Provide flyovers at 4 additional key junctions to upgrade Al between Sprucefield and Loughbrickland 
		
	
	The consultation document also included for information, a list of schemes that had performed less well against the key criteria but were not affordable within the funding envisaged to 2015. The following table provides details of one improvement scheme affecting this route that is included in this list. (No decision has yet been made as to whether these schemes will be included in Roads Service's Forward Planning Schedule, so no commencement date can be given for this scheme.)
	
		
			  Scheme  Description 
			 Ml widening Black's Road to Sprucefield Provision of additional lane in both directions

Roads

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what studies he has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the impact of improving motorway links between the Northern Ireland border and ports in the Irish Republic on (i) the ports industry and (ii) airports in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

David Cairns: Improved motorway links make an important contribution to travel and transport, but I have not commissioned specific studies into their impact on ports or airports in Northern Ireland.

Sex Offenders

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many convicted sex offenders classified as Category 3 are under supervision while not being in prison in Northern Ireland.

David Hanson: On 19 October there were 10 sex offenders in the community in Northern Ireland who have been assessed as Category 3 and are subject to the multi-agency sex offender risk assessment and management (MASRAM) procedures.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Carers

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the carer's addition to pension credit ceases to be payable after the death of a cared-for-spouse.

James Purnell: The extra amount for carers in pension credit remains in payment for a period of eight weeks after the person who is being cared for dies, in order to provide additional support at what is often a difficult time.

Disability Living Allowance

Chris McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has received from  (a) hon. Members and  (b) others calling for the backdating of disability living allowance for people diagnosed with cancer.

Anne McGuire: The Department has no record of having received any representations to backdate disability living allowance for people diagnosed with cancer.

Employment Programme Centres

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much funding for employment programme centres in South Yorkshire was provided by the European Structural Fund under the terms of the county's objective one status in each year for which figures are available.

James Plaskitt: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how much funding for employment programme centres in South Yorkshire was provided by the European Structural Fund under the terms of the county's objective one status in each year for which figures are available. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The European Structural Fund Objective 1 has not funded programme centres in South Yorkshire. Co-financed by Jobcentre Plus it has, however, funded a broader initiative known as "Ways to Work" in four main centres (Barnsley, Rotherham, Sheffield and Doncaster). The maximum contract value for this provision over its full period of operation, which runs from October 2005 until March 2007, is £1.09m.
	I hope this is helpful.

Jobcentre Plus

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance his Department issues to Jobcentre Plus staff about advising couples that they would be better off financially if they separated; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: holding answer 19 October 2006
	The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what guidance is issued to Jobcentre Plus staff about advising couples they would be better off financially if they separated. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	I can confirm that guidance does not direct Jobcentre Plus staff to advise couples they would be better off financially if they separated.

Pension Credit

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are claiming pension credit in Tooting constituency.

James Purnell: 3,460 households in the Tooting constituency were receiving pension credit as of May 2006.
	 Notes:
	1. The figure provided is an early estimate. The preferred data source for figures supplied by DWP is the Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS). However, the figure provided is the latest available figure which is taken from the CMS scan at 26 May 2006. These are adjusted using the historical relationship between WPLS and GMS data to give an estimate of the final WPLS figure.
	2. Caseloads are rounded to the nearest 10.
	3. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory and are therefore based on the 2005 parliamentary boundaries.
	4. Households are those people who claim pension credit either for themselves only or on behalf of a household.
	 Source:
	DWP 100 per cent. data from the Generalised Matching Service (QMS) pension credit scan taken as at 26 May 2006.

Pension Credit

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people took up pension credit in Tooting constituency in  (a) 2004,  (b) 2005 and  (c) 2006.

James Plaskitt: The number of households in receipt of pension credit in the Tooting constituency at February in each of the years requested is in the following table.
	
		
			  As at February each year:  Household recipients 
			 2004 3,440 
			 2005 3,380 
			 2006 3,010 
			  Notes: 1. Case loads are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the 2005 postcode directory and are therefore based on the 2005 parliamentary boundaries. 3. Household recipients are those people who claim pension credit either for themselves only or on behalf of a household.  Source: DWP 100 per cent. Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study.

Warm Front Team

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has held with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the warm front team; and whether the Department passes information to the warm front team on individuals benefit entitlements.

James Purnell: I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave on 27 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 1591-92W.

Winter Fuel Allowance

James McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of a pensioner's average energy bill was met by the winter fuel allowance in  (a) 2003,  (b) 2004 and  (c) 2005; and what the estimated percentage is for 2006.

James Purnell: holding answer 16 October 2006
	The winter fuel payment is intended to provide a contribution towards winter heating bills which account for around 60 per cent. of the total fuel bill. Winter fuel payments increased from £20 in 1997-98 to the current value of £200 for households with someone aged 60 to 79 years of age, and £300 for households with someone aged 80 or over. The information is in the table.
	
		
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Average amount spent on fuel 549 583 651 780 
			 Average winter fuel payment 235 233 234 235 
			 Percentage of total fuel bill met by winter fuel payment 43 40 36 30 
			  Notes: 1. Pensioner expenditure on fuel is unavailable from the Family Expenditure Survey in 2005-06 and 2006-07. Expenditure for these years is forecast using 2004-05 fuel expenditure uprated by fuel price inflation in 2005-06 and 2006-07. It has been assumed that energy prices will stay at second quarter of 2006 levels for the remainder of 2006-07. 2. Average winter fuel payments have been calculated by dividing expenditure on winter fuel payments by the number of households in receipt of winter fuel payments.  Source:  Family Expenditure Survey 2003-04,2004-05; DWP Administrative data. 
		
	
	Between 1996-97 and 2004-05 (the latest year for which data are available) pensioner incomes increased by 25 per cent. in real terms, compared with a 15 per cent. real terms increase in utility bills between 1996-97 and 2006. It is important to note that while pensioner incomes tend to increase on a linear basis, with 4 per cent. real growth between 2003-04 and 2004-05 building on the growth in earlier years, utility prices tend to fluctuate.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

A-level Mathematics

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research he has  (a) undertaken and  (b) evaluated to establish the reason for the fall in A-level mathematics entry between 2001 and 2002; and what conclusions were reached.

Jim Knight: The review of AS mathematics by the regulatory authorities and the Post-14 Maths Inquiry, chaired by Professor Adrian Smith, established the reason for the fall in A level mathematics entry between 2001 and 2002 was due to the introduction of the Curriculum 2000 reforms. It identified that the content of the AS specification was too great to be taught and mastered in the first year of study.

Arson in Schools

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many convictions there have been for arson in schools in each of the last 20 years, broken down by local authority area;
	(2)  how many schools have had fires started by arsonists in each of the last 20 years, broken down by local authority area;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the cost of repairing deliberate fire damage at schools in each of the last 20 years, broken down by local authority area;
	(4)  what estimate he has made of the cost of introducing a sprinkler system in every school in England.

Jim Knight: We do not have figures for school fires broken down by local authority areas. The data we have is provided by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), which collects figures from the Fire and Rescue Service.
	The earliest figures we have on school fires from DCLG are for 2000, and the most recent for 2004. These cover England and Wales. The costs are rounded to the nearest million and are derived from the (then) ODPM publication "Economic Cost of Fire, estimates for 2004". They cover property damage and the costs of the fire and rescue services attending the fires.
	
		
			   Number of fires  Total costs (£ million) 
			 2000 1,275 45 
			 2001 1,529 67 
			 2002 1,332 67 
			 2003 1,313 61 
			 2004 1,291 52 
		
	
	The available data do not differentiate between primary and secondary schools, or between the public and independent sectors.
	For the years covered, just over 60 per cent. of the school fires were considered to be the result of deliberate fire setting. Neither this Department nor the DCLG have figures for the number of people convicted for committing arson in schools.
	We do not have reliable figures for the cost of installing sprinklers in schools, and so we commissioned consultants to carry out a study to establish them. Their survey covers a minimum of 20 primary and secondary schools, and is analysing both installation costs and maintenance costs. It commenced in July and should be completed later this month. We will include data from the study in the final draft of our new guide on fire safety, Building Bulletin 100 (BB 100), "Designing and Managing Against the Risk of Fire in Schools", which we expect to publish early next year.

Biometric Information Collection

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many representations his Department has received on the collection of biometric information by schools.

Jim Knight: Since 1 January 2006 my Department has received 21 written communications which referred to the collection of biometric information by schools and nine phone calls on the subject.

Biometric Information Collection

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his Department's policy is on whether schools should be allowed to collect biometric information on pupils without the consent of their parents.

Jim Knight: The Department has not issued guidance to school governors on whether they should consult parents before implementing a policy of taking thumb prints for library issues. It is for each school to establish that it is acting lawfully in processing pupils' personal data and, on a case-by-case basis, is acting in compliance with the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Data Protection Act 1998, and the common law of confidentiality. The British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (BECTA) published guidance for schools in 2004 on their obligations and responsibilities under the Data Protection Act and other related legislation.

CAFCASS

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills in what ways Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service officers are held accountable for the content of their reports under the organisation's complaints policy.

Parmjit Dhanda: holding answer 17 October 2006
	This is a matter for the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS). Anthony Douglas, the CAFCASS chief executive has written to the hon. Member with this information and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Library.
	 Letter from Anthony Douglas, dated 18 October 2006:
	I am writing to you in response to the parliamentary question that you tabled recently: PQ94874—In what ways Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service officers are held accountable for the content of their reports under the organisation's complaints policy?
	The reports that CAFCASS practitioners submit in the range of Family Court proceedings are professional assessments made by practitioners to assist the court in reaching a conclusion in complex disputes concerning the best welfare interests of the children at the centre of those proceedings.
	The individual practitioner is necessarily accountable to the court for the content of that report and the method that was used to compile that report, and the professional basis of the assessment that is made within it. The Court hearing offers parties to the court case the opportunity to challenge both the content of the report and the method used by the CAFCASS practitioner to produce their assessment.
	CAFCASS complaints procedures allow for any factual errors in reports to be corrected prior to the court hearing where CAFCASS has been informed or becomes aware of such errors in advance of that hearing. This would not include any issues of disputed facts, which would be matters that the court itself would have to consider, weigh up and form a judgment about, in the light of all of the available evidence before it.
	CAFCASS as an organisation holds the responsibility for ensuring that such reports are prepared to recognised standards and that the quality of work undertaken by practitioners on its behalf, in preparing and completing such reports, meets these standards. CAFCASS practitioners are directly accountable to their line managers or contract managers for their adherence to its Service Standards. Allegations that CAFCASS practitioners have breached CAFCASS Service Standards are specifically noted within CAFCASS complaints procedures as being matters that can properly be examined within those procedures.
	Complaints about CAFCASS in particular cases, which are not resolved by its complaints procedure, can be referred to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
	During the course of 2006 CAFCASS has introduced new quality assurance procedures in order to guarantee the quality of reports prepared on its behalf, prior to them being submitted to the Courts. CAFCASS is also currently consulting on new national standards to replace existing current Service Standards, for all its work including report writing, and is about to issue on 1st November a new Record Keeping Policy.

Children and Adoption Act

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what contact activities  (a) courts will be able to order and  (b) public funding will pay for when the Children and Adoption Act 2006 is fully operational.

Parmjit Dhanda: Under provisions in part 1 of the Children and Adoption Act 2006 courts will be able to order programmes, classes and counselling or guidance sessions that may assist with establishing, maintaining or improving contact with a child. Other possible activities are programmes designed to address a person's violent behaviour and information sessions about mediation. Contact activities will not extend to include medical or psychiatric examination, assessment or treatment or taking part in mediation.
	The Secretary of State may, by regulations, make provision on levels of financial assistance to be paid in respect of an individual as regards an activity in which s/he is required by a contact activity direction or condition to take part. Regulations in this regard will be laid in respect of all contact activities.

Citizenship Education

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what plans he has to encourage the recruitment of specialist trained citizenship teachers by schools;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the Ofsted report "Towards Consensus—Citizenship in Secondary Schools";
	(3)  what recent assessment he has made of the quality of teaching of citizenship in schools; and what steps he is taking to improve the standard of such teaching.

Jim Knight: The DfES welcomes the Ofsted report "Towards Consensus—Citizenship in Secondary Schools" which recognises that much good work has taken place, that steady progress is being made in citizenship teaching and acknowledges that there is still much room for improvement. 200 initial teacher training places in citizenship education are being made available each year and the DfES is funding 1,200 Citizenship Continuing Professional Development (CPD) places over the next two years to enable citizenship teachers to broaden and deepen their subject knowledge. We have also published a CPD handbook and citizenship self-evaluation tools for both primary and secondary schools. We continue to support the Association of Citizenship Teachers and work with a range of organisations to provide resources and support for teachers.

Dyslexia

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in independent schools in Somerset have received public money for help with dyslexia in the last five years.

Parmjit Dhanda: No information is collected centrally on the number of children in independent schools who have received public money for help with dyslexia.

Excluded Pupils

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether it is his intention to prevent children excluded from school from attending a public library.

Jim Knight: No. The proposed offence at clause 100 of the Education and Inspections Bill will require the parents of pupils who have been excluded from school to ensure that their child is not in a public place during school hours during the first five days of exclusion.
	The proposed legislation is framed in such a way that such parents could avail themselves of the defence of "reasonable justification" where circumstances prevent compliance with the duty. In the case of a child being in a public place, such as a public library, at the relevant time, it would be for the parent to prove their presence was reasonable. For example, the parent would have to demonstrate why the library could not have been visited outside of school hours.
	Ultimately it will be for the courts to decide whether reasonable justification has been proved.

Faith Schools

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he expects building to begin for the new Faith School in Everton, Liverpool; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: holding answer 20 October 2006
	A scheme for the new Church of England and Roman Catholic Faith School has been agreed and the proposals have been approved by the local Schools Organisation Committee. The capital funding for the new build has been secured.
	Liverpool Archdiocese has informed the Department that although the scheme has been agreed with all concerned, the promised pupil numbers have not materialised. Over the last two years the numbers have actually reduced and the number on roll currently stands at 70 pupils plus 11 in the nursery.
	Both the Liverpool Archdiocese and the Church of England Diocese are anxious to see some movement on the new school build programme. However, they are conscious that a new school cannot be justified with the current numbers on roll. The Dioceses and the local authority are currently trying to establish a suitable way forward for this school in line with the wider regeneration programme in Liverpool.

Green Corns, Rochdale (Behavioural Problems)

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what mechanisms are in place for the inspection of  (a) curriculum,  (b) hours of teaching,  (c) examination entry,  (d) attendance at lessons and  (e) supervision in relation to children with behavioural problems placed in small homes, with particular reference to Green Corns in Rochdale.

Jim Knight: Green Corns Ltd. operates a number of children's homes in the north west, some of which have been registered as independent schools. All independent schools must comply with standards set out in The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2003 as amended. These set out the quality of education, welfare, health and safety arrangements for pupils that all registered independent schools must meet. Ofsted inspections of Green Corns schools examine the breadth of the curriculum, timetabled teaching hours, attendance, behaviour and supervision of pupils. Independent schools are not required to enter pupils for examinations.

Heartlands Development, Haringey

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost per bidder is of the three day consultancy offered to bidders for sponsorship of the new school to be built on the Heartlands development in Haringey; how much the Government have provided to Haringey council for that process; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Since 1 September local authorities wanting to establish a new secondary school have been required under Section 66 of the Education Act 2005 to invite bids from potential promoters. Each potential promoter is entitled to receive three days' consultancy support funded by the Department to help them prepare their bids and we have allocated a budget of £1,500 to cover the cost of each support package.
	As the Department is providing this consultancy support directly to potential promoters we have not transferred any funding to Haringey.

Heartsease High School, Norwich

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what stage the negotiations for the award of City Academy status for Heartsease High School, Norwich have reached; and how  (a) parents,  (b) members of the public and  (c) other interested parties are being consulted on academy status for the school.

Jim Knight: The Heartsease Academy project entered the feasibility phase of development on 7 September 2006. As with all academy projects consultations will now take place, providing opportunities for parents, members of the public and other interested parties to make their views known.
	Consultations will also be put in hand soon by the local authority on the proposals it will publish for the closure of the Heartsease High School to enable its replacement by the Academy.

Home Schooling

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funding is available for home schooling; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: holding answer 17 October 2006
	Parents may choose to provide their children with a full-time education at home, but there is no central funding available to assist them. Local authorities may provide financial support to home schooling parents at their discretion, although there is no requirement for them to do so.

International GCSE

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the operation of The Coventry City Council and the North West Federation of Schools (International General Certificate in Secondary Education) Order 2005 (S.I., 2005, No. 1739).

Jim Knight: The results for 2005/06 from the first cohort were up to expectations—all those anticipated achieved a pass at Grade C or above. The English course is a success and is now running for 2006/07.

International GCSE

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will amend literacy and numeracy requirements for higher level teaching assistants to include the International GCSE at grade A*-C in English language, English literature or mathematics as acceptable literacy and numeracy qualifications.

Jim Knight: The Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) Standards are a set of national, professional standards. They currently require nationally accredited qualifications for two reasons: firstly because they reflect national standards and criteria for subject content and robustness of assessment; and secondly because they are monitored by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to ensure that assessment is fit-for-purpose and that standards of attainment are maintained across time, across centres and across awarding bodies.
	The HLTA Standards are, however, currently under review and we are consulting on a range of issues, including the literacy and numeracy requirements for candidates seeking to attain HLTA status. The case for the widening of the Standards to include non-accredited qualifications will, therefore, be discussed as part of this review.

Kent LEA

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  whether demographic statistics in Kent were taken into account when determining funding levels for Kent local education authority;
	(2)  what factors are taken into account when calculating funding levels for schools in Kent;
	(3)  what funding levels have been allocated for the local education authorities in  (a) Gravesham,  (b) Medway and  (c) Kent.

Jim Knight: Each local authority's total Dedicated Schools Grant for 2006-07 was calculated by multiplying their full-time equivalent pupils (aged 3 to 15) from the January 2006 pupil count by their Dedicated Schools Grant Guaranteed Unit of Funding (the Dedicated Schools Grant Guaranteed Unit of Funding is unchanged from that set in December 2005 and is available on Teachernet at www.teachernet. gov.uk/docbank/index.cfm?id=9405.)
	The Dedicated Schools Grant Guaranteed Unit of Funding for 2006-07 was based on actual spend per pupil in 2005-06, with a basic increase of 5 per cent. per pupil (5.1 per cent. for London authorities) and headroom allocated to reflect five ministerial priorities (personalisation at key stage 3, personalisation in primary schools, more practical learning options at 14 to 16, workforce reform and early years expansion). £30 million was also distributed between authorities who spent below the level of undamped Schools Formula Spending Share in 2005-06.
	Where authorities were below 90 per cent. participation for their three-year-olds in January 2006, the number of three-year-olds for funding purposes was brought up to 90 per cent. of the projected population.
	Each authority also received a minimum cash increase of at least 4 per cent. over their 2005-06 Dedicated Schools Grant allocation to provide additional support for authorities with falling rolls.
	The methodology for calculating the Dedicated Schools Grant in 2007-08 will be the same as for 2006-07. An overview to the 2007-08 Dedicated Schools Grant allocation process can be found at http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/docbank/index.cfm?id==10356.
	The 2006-07 Dedicated Schools Grant Allocations can be found at http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/docbank /index.cfm?id=9405. The Dedicated Schools Grant in 2006-07 was £152.202 million in Medway (an increase per pupil of 6.8 per cent.) and £718.205 million in Kent (an increase per pupil of 6.9 per cent. which includes the Gravesham constituency).

Muslim Schools

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many state-funded Muslim schools there were in England in each of the last five years.

Jim Knight: The following table shows how many maintained Muslim schools were open in England as at September of each of the last five years:
	
		
			   Primary schools  Secondary Schools  Total 
			 2002 2 2 4 
			 2003 2 2 4 
			 2004 3 2 5 
			 2005 4 2 6 
			 2006 5 3 8

Muslim Schools

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many private Muslim schools were inspected in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many private Muslim schools there were in England in each of the last five years.

Jim Knight: The information requested is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Academic year  Number of Independent Muslim schools inspected( 1)  Number of registered Independent Muslim schools 
			 2001-02 10 79 
			 2002-03 23 108 
			 2003-04 14 112 
			 2004-05 48 110 
			 2005-06 21 114 
			 (1 )Includes seven schools which have since closed and excludes five schools inspected in academic year 2000-01.

Muslim Schools

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money was received from his Department by maintained Muslim faith schools in England in each of the past five years.

Jim Knight: The total amount of recurrent funding received by maintained Muslim faith schools in each of the last five years was as follows:
	
		
			  The Education (Budget Statements) (England) Regulations, total budget share plus grants allocated to Muslim schools at the beginning of each financial year since 2001-02, cash terms figures as reported by local authorities as at 16 October 2006 
			   Total budget share plus grants allocated to Muslim schools at the start of the financial year (£)  Number of Muslim schools reported on Section 52 Budget (Table 2) 
			 2001-02 936,485 2 
			 2002-03 3,029,248 4 
			 2003-04 3,954,729 4 
			 2004-05 5,731,667 5 
			 2005-06 7,376,441 6 
			 2006-07 9,505,805 7 
			 Total 30,534,375 7 
			  Notes: 1. Only includes those Muslim schools reported by the local authority on their Section 52 Budget Statements (Table 2). 2. Includes all revenue funding allocated to the schools via the LA's local funding formula at the beginning of each financial year. Also includes any grants reported on Section 52 and allocated to schools as at 1 April each year. 3. 2003-04 does not include any EIC grants allocated to schools as this was not recorded at a school level on Section 52 in that year. EIC grants account for £85,000 of the 2004-05 total. 
		
	
	In addition, in terms of capital funding, the following amounts were disbursed for approved capital projects at maintained Muslim schools as follows:
	
		
			   Amounts disbursed for approved capital projects (£) 
			 2001-02 940,000 
			 2002-03 1,000,000 
			 2003-04 7,850,000 
			 2004-05 6,750,000 
			 2005-06 7,300,000 
			 2006-07 (1)1,900,000 
			 Total 25,740,000 
			 (1 )Paid out in grant so far within the financial year 2006-07 on committed capital projects.

Newcastle City Academy

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will place in the Library a copy of the deed of arrangement for Newcastle City academy; and whether the adjudicator has approved the next stages for the closure of Westgate college.

Jim Knight: holding answer 16 October 2006
	The schools adjudicator approved the closure of Westgate community college on 28 February 2006, subject to the making of a funding agreement to establish an academy and the granting of planning permission for an academy. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State entered into a funding agreement for the Excelsior academy, Newcastle on 1 August 2006 and planning permission has now been granted by the local authority. The academy will open in September 2008.
	The funding agreement for the Excelsior academy, Newcastle is already publicly available on my Department's website at www.dfes.gov.uk/foischeme under academy funding agreements.

Nursery Education

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of nursery schools is  (a) state-funded,  (b) voluntary and  (c) private; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: Since April 2004 all three and four-year-olds have been entitled to a free, good quality, part-time early education place. As at January 2006 there were 37,500 providers delivering the free entitlement, of which, 43 per cent. were maintained nursery and primary schools, 52 per cent. were private or voluntary providers, 3 per cent. were registered independent schools and 1 per cent. were special schools.
	Figures for January 2006 show that virtually all four-year-old children receive some form of free entitlement. The figure for three-year-olds is 96 per cent. As the free entitlement has been rolled out to all three and four-year-olds the greatest expansion of places has been in private, voluntary and independent settings. Of all children accessing the free entitlement in 2006, 39 per cent. did so in private, voluntary and independent settings, compared to just 12 per cent. in 2000.
	The latest figures on early education places for three and four-year-olds in England were published in Statistical First Release 32/2006 "Provision for children under five years of age in England—January 2006 (final)" in September, which is available on my Department's website www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/.

Partial Selection

David Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 25 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1458W, on partially selective schools, which schools operate the form of partial selection by ability or aptitude which it would not now be lawful to introduce.

Jim Knight: Admission authorities may introduce selection by aptitude of up 10 per cent. of their intake by aptitude for prescribed subjects. As introduction of aptitude selection is determined locally, we do not hold information on the number of schools which have adopted it.
	Provision in the Education and Inspections Bill reaffirms the prohibition on the introduction of any new selection by ability. But schools, which have operated partial selection by ability or aptitude continuously since 1997/98, may continue to do so as long as they do not change the proportion of children selected or the basis for their selection. Although we do not hold a definitive list, we are aware of 38 schools which operate partially selective arrangements which it would not now be lawful to introduce.

Pupil Behaviour

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what Government spending was on  (a) all school attendance initiatives,  (b) the Behaviour Improvement Programme,  (c) the Behaviour and Attendance Strand of Key Stage 3 strategy,  (d) national truancy sweeps,  (e) collection of data for the national pupil absence tables,  (f) assistant regional advisers for attendance,  (g) the Education Welfare Service,  (h) parenting contracts for truancy,  (i) parenting orders for truancy,  (j) penalty notices for truancy,  (k) fast-track case management for truancy and  (l) e-registration in (A) primary and (B) secondary schools in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The information is as follows:
	 (a) All school attendance initiatives. The Department has funded a number of initiatives which had, as part of their overall objectives, the reduction of absence. These are listed in the following table below includes the requested information on  (b) behaviour improvement programme;  (c) behaviour and attendance strand of KS3 strategy;  (f) assistant regional advisers for attendance; and  (l) e-registration.
	
		
			  £ million 
			   1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Behaviour Grant(1) 10 11 — — — — — — — — 
			 Schools Inclusion: Pupil Support Grant(1) — — 29 69 86 85 — — — — 
			 Excellence in Cities: Learning Mentors/Learning Support Units: Primary — — 0 21 34 34 34 34 34 34 
			 EiC: Learning Mentors/Learning Support Units: Secondary — — 17 48 66 78 83 82 82 82 
			 EiC: Clusters(1) — — — — 3 9 17 26 39 40 
			 e-registration(2) — — — — — 11 
			 Behaviour Improvement Programme(1) — — — — — 30 85 95 121 (3)— 
			 KS3 Behaviour and Attendance Strategy(1) — — — — — 24 24 24 (4)4 (4)4 
			 (1) Split between primary and secondary not available. (2) Secondary only. (3) Funding of £121 million has been subsumed in the School Development Grant. (4) Includes £0.8 million in 2005-06 and £1.9m in 2002-07 for assistant regional advisers for attendance. 
		
	
	 (d) National Truancy Sweeps are resourced by local authorities and the police and my Department does not collect information on these costs.
	 (e) collection of data for the national pupil absence tables: the following figures represent the value of the contract let to the company which collects the annual absence data for the Department.
	
		
			   £000 
			 1997-98 102.4 
			 1998-99 97.2 
			 1999-2000 89.0 
			 2000-01 171.7 
			 2001-02 167.3 
			 2002-03 164.6 
			 2003-04 172.8 
			 2004-05 177.6 
			 2005-06 145.5 
			 2006-07 188.0 
		
	
	 (g) the Education Welfare Service: the following figures represent planned spend by local authorities (England only) on education welfare services.
	
		
			  Planned spend on Education Welfare Service( 1)  as reported by local authorities through their S52 budget statements as at 11 October 2006( 2) 
			  £ million 
			   Primary( 3)  Secondary( 3)  Special( 3)  Gross  Income  Net 
			 2000-01 38.2 43.5 5.5 87.2 1.2 86.0 
			 2001-02 39.2 47.3 4.7 91.2 1.4 89.8 
			 2002-03 40.0 49.2 5.0 94.2 1.9 92.2 
			 2003-04 — — — 103.8 3.1 100.7 
			 2004-05 — — — 111.7 4.0 107.7 
			 2005-06 — — — 117.2 4.8 112.4 
			 2006-07 — — — 119.4 5.5 113.9 
			  Note: Figures are not available for earlier years. (1) Expenditure listed under line 1.6.6 (to 2002-03), 2.4.8 (2003-04 and 2004-05) and 2.4.10 (2005-06 and 2006-07) of the Section 52 budget statements which includes education welfare service (and other expenditure arising from the LEA's school attendance functions). Excludes the costs of Education Welfare Officers directly involved in issues related to child protection which are recorded separately. (2) Data are subject to change by the local authority. (3 )A split by school sector is only available until 2002-03. 
		
	
	 (h) Parenting contracts for truancy,  (i) parenting orders for truancy,  (j) penalty notices for truancy,  (k) fast-track to attendance case management are resourced by local authorities and my Department does not collect information on these costs.

Pupils (Language)

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of  (a) year 5,  (b) year 6 and  (c) year 7 pupils have English as a second language in (i) Ruislip-Northwood constituency, (ii) each London borough and (iii) England.

Jim Knight: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Maintained primary and secondary schools( 1) : number and percentage of pupils in year groups 5, 6 and 7 whose first language is known or believed to be other than English( 2) — all London local authorities, Ruislip-Northwood parliamentary constituency and England, January 2006 
			   Maintained primary( 1) 
			   NC Year Group 5  NC Year Group 6  NC Year Group 7 
			   Number  Percentage( 3)  Number  Percentage( 3)  Number  Percentage( 3) 
			  England( 4) 67,330 12.4 65,360 11.9 1,200 12.9 
			
			  Ruislip-Northwood parliamentary constituency 121 12.4 108 11.9 0 0.0 
			
			  London( 4) 30,960 38.8 30,340 38.2 980 52.9 
			
			  Inner London( 4) 15,040 52.9 14,580 52.1 (5)— 50.0 
			 Camden 809 56.5 764 55.4 (6)— (6)— 
			 City of London 19 63.3 20 71.4 0 0.0 
			 Hackney 1,207 54.0 1,197 54.9 0 0.0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 547 45.4 494 43.2 0 0.0 
			 Haringey 1,484 54.1 1,412 52.9 0 0.0 
			 Islington 760 41.9 741 40.8 0 0.0 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 476 52.2 433 49.3 0 0.0 
			 Lambeth 1,153 47.0 1,127 46.6 (6)— (6)— 
			 Lewisham 816 30.0 832 29.9 0 0.0 
			 Newham 2,799 72.2 2,617 70.9 0 0.0 
			 Southwark 1,128 39.7 1,192 41.1 (6)— (6)— 
			 Tower Hamlets 2,015 74.9 2,020 75.1 0 0.0 
			 Wandsworth 859 40.1 773 36.9 0 0.0 
			 Westminster 966 71.2 953 71.9 0 0.0 
			
			  Outer London( 4) 15,920 31.0 15,770 30.7 980 52.9 
			 Barking and Dagenham 495 21.3 462 20.4 0 0.0 
			 Barnet 1,320 39.4 1,288 38.0 4 57.1 
			 Bexley 231 8.2 233 8.4 0 0.0 
			 Brent 1,665 56.8 1,747 58.3 0 0.0 
			 Bromley 212 6.2 215 6.3 0 0.0 
			 Croydon 879 22.3 850 21.5 0 0.0 
			 Ealing 1,752 53.8 1,696 53.4 0 0.0 
			 Enfield 1,391 38.2 1,276 36.1 (6)— (6)— 
			 Greenwich 730 27.9 751 28.6 0 0.0 
			 Harrow 1,135 46.7 1,132 46.6 974 53.0 
			 Havering 129 4.7 131 4.6 0 0.0 
			 Hillingdon 813 26.6 831 28.2 0 0.0 
			 Hounslow 1,146 49.1 1,144 48.2 0 0.0 
			 Kingston upon Thames 350 23.6 363 24.4 0 0.0 
			 Merton 537 31.5 548 31.7 0 0.0 
			 Redbridge 1,568 50.2 1,542 48.6 0 0.0 
			 Richmond upon Thames 247 15.5 252 15.4 0 0.0 
			 Sutton 201 10.4 223 11.3 0 0.0 
			 Waltham Forest 1,121 41.7 1,083 40.3 0 0.0 
		
	
	
		
			   Maintained secondary( 1) 
			   NC Year Group 5  NC Year Group 6  NC Year Group 7 
			   Number  Percentage( 3)  Number  Percentage( 3)  Number  Percentage( 3) 
			  England( 4) 700 2.9 890 3.3 54,310 9.7 
			
			  Ruislip-Northwood parliamentary constituency 0 0.0 0 0.0 95 11.2 
			
			  London( 4) (5)— 22.2 10 26.3 23,650 33.3 
			
			  Inner London( 4) (5)— 22.2 10 27.8 10,750 48.1 
			 Camden 0 0.0 0 0.0 594 38.9 
			 City of London 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 
			 Hackney 0 0.0 0 0.0 576 47.6 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 4 22.2 4 23.5 369 35.2 
			 Haringey 0 0.0 0 0.0 1,036 50.7 
			 Islington 0 0.0 0 0.0 686 44.4 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 0 0.0 0 0.0 258 42.7 
			 Lambeth 0 0.0 0 0.0 581 38.9 
			 Lewisham 0 0.0 (6)— (6)— 480 25.7 
			 Newham 0 0.0 0 0.0 2,246 64.7 
			 Southwark 0 0.0 0 0.0 857 46.6 
			 Tower Hamlets 0 0.0 0 0.0 1,795 69.8 
			 Wandsworth 0 0.0 0 0.0 571 33.0 
			 Westminster 0 0.0 0 0.0 705 50.3 
			
			  Outer London( 4) 0 0.0 0 0.0 12,890 26.5 
			 Barking and Dagenham 0 0.0 0 0.0 449 19.8 
			 Barnet 0 0.0 0 0.0 1,022 32.6 
			 Bexley 0 0.0 0 0.0 211 6.7 
			 Brent 0 0.0 0 0.0 1,410 53.2 
			 Bromley 0 0.0 0 0.0 153 4.3 
			 Croydon 0 0.0 0 0.0 622 17.4 
			 Ealing 0 0.0 0 0.0 1,301 48.8 
			 Enfield 0 0.0 0 0.0 1,422 38.5 
			 Greenwich 0 0.0 0 0.0 502 23.0 
			 Harrow 0 0.0 0 0.0 24 8.0 
			 Havering 0 0.0 0 0.0 107 3.4 
			 Hillingdon 0 0.0 0 0.0 721 26.4 
			 Hounslow 0 0.0 0 0.0 1,300 48.9 
			 Kingston upon Thames 0 0.0 0 0.0 247 17.3 
			 Merton 0 0.0 0 0.0 420 26.6 
			 Redbridge 0 0.0 0 0.0 1,400 44.5 
			 Richmond upon Thames 0 0.0 0 0.0 209 15.0 
			 Sutton 0 0.0 0 0.0 270 10.1 
			 Waltham Forest 0 0.0 0 0.0 1,104 41.0 
			 (1 )Includes middle schools as deemed (2) Includes pupils aged five and over. Excludes dually registered pupils. (3) Number of pupils whose first language is known or believed to be other than English expressed as a percentage of all pupils in that year group. (4 )National and regional totals have been rounded to the nearest 10. There may be discrepancies between totals and the sum of constituent parts. (5) Less than five (where the totals have been rounded to the nearest 10. (6) Less than three or a rate based on less than 3.  Source: Schools' Census

Red Box Website

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether his Department has issued any guidance on the use of the Government's Red Box website.

Jim Knight: The Department for Education and Skills has not issued specific guidance on the use of the Red Box website. DfES has issued "Financial Capability through Personal Finance Education: Guidance for Schools" which complements the aims of the Red Box website to improve young people's understanding of finance.

SATs Results

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of primary school children have obtained basic  (a) literacy and  (b) numeracy skills in each year since the introduction of SATs.

Jim Knight: The number and proportion of pupils achieving level 4 (the target level) or above in the key stage 2 national curriculum tests in each year since 1995 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   English  Mathematics 
			   Number of pupils achieving level 4 or above( 1)  (Thousand)  Percentage of pupils achieving level 4 or above( 2)  Number of pupils achieving level 4 or above( 1)  (Thousand)  Percentage of pupils achieving level 4 or above( 2) 
			 1995 242.9 49 210.0 45 
			 1996 306.5 57 291.5 54 
			 1997 373.4 63 366.0 62 
			 1998 394.3 65 356.9 59 
			 1999 443.4 71 434.0 69 
			 2000 466.4 75 446.5 72 
			 2001 474.9 75 447.0 71 
			 2002 478.5 75 469.0 73 
			 2003 479.5 75 462.1 73 
			 2004 474.8 78 453.4 74 
			 2005 481.3 79 457.8 75 
			 2006(3) 470.1 79 450.2 76 
			 (1) Figures are for England only, and are expressed in thousands rounded to the nearest hundred. (2) The denominator for the calculation of the percentage of pupils achieving the expected level in each subject is all pupils eligible for the test in that subject. This includes pupils who were absent from the test, working below the level of the test or disapplied from/unable to access the test. Eligible pupils in independent schools who opted to participate in the tests are also included. (3) 2006 figures are provisional. Revised figures will be published in December 2006. Figures for all other years are based on final data.

School Admissions

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of schools which would be affected if the draft Code proposing changes to the admissions criteria in relation to the deletion of the siblings criterion is implemented in February 2007.

Jim Knight: The draft Code proposes to rule out the use of the sibling oversubscription criterion at all 164 grammar schools and to restrict its use in the 40 schools that use selection by ability or aptitude for more than 10 per cent. of their intake under section 100 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, unless the school can show exceptional circumstances to justify it.
	We do not have information on how many of these 204 schools currently use the sibling criterion, and therefore are unable to say how many will be affected by the proposed changes. The criterion is acceptable at all other schools, including those that admit 10 per cent. or less by selection on aptitude.

School Health Services

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what criteria are used by his Department to determine whether a school has adequately consulted parents on the nature and scope of health services available in the school; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The nature and scope of health services available in a school are for the school governing body to decide. Where schools are developing links with health as part of extended services, the Education Act 2002 requires them to consult widely before putting services in place. The Department for Education and Skills has provided a toolkit to local authorities on how best to consult communities when developing extended services, but there are no rigid national criteria for how consultation should take place.

School Playing Fields

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many applications his Department has received under Schedule 22 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 to sell school playing fields; and how many such applications have been  (a) accepted and  (b) refused.

Jim Knight: Schedule 22 to the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (SSFA) requires the governing or foundation body of a voluntary or foundation school to obtain the Secretary of State's consent before disposing of any land that has been provided or enhanced at public expense. Any such application that involves a school playing field will be assessed against the same criteria as playing field applications made by local authorities under Section 77 of the SSFA.
	Since October 1998, there have been 37 applications under Schedule 22 to the SSFA that involve the disposal of a school playing field. Of these, 27 have been approved, two have been rejected and eight were withdrawn. Prior to 1998 only grant maintained schools needed to obtain the Secretary of State's consent before disposing of any land, including playing fields.

Science Teachers

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of  (a) biology,  (b) physics and  (c) chemistry teachers which will need to be recruited to fulfil the pledge of allowing pupils to choose to study individual sciences at GCSE level.

Jim Knight: holding answer 16 October 2006
	Science teachers are trained to teach across the sciences. We continue to set recruitment targets designed to ensure a sufficient supply of science teachers to meet pupils' and schools' needs. We will be taking action to increase the proportion of teachers with an initial specialism in physics to 25 per cent. and chemistry to 31 per cent. by 2014. We are also developing a diploma to improve teachers' ability to teach physics and chemistry.

Science Teachers

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many more  (a) biology,  (b) physics and  (c) chemistry teachers he estimates will need to be recruited to fulfil the pledge of allowing pupils the choice to study individual sciences at GCSE.

Jim Knight: Science teachers are trained to teach across the sciences. We continue to set recruitment targets designed to ensure a sufficient supply of science teachers to meet pupils' and schools' needs. We will be taking action to increase the proportion of teachers with an initial specialism in physics to 25 per cent. and chemistry to 31 per cent. by 2014. We are also developing a diploma to improve teachers' ability to teach physics and chemistry.

Sex Education

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  if he will amend the guidance produced by his Department to allow parents to examine the materials used in their child's sex education classes; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent representations he has received from  (a) hon. Members and  (b) members of the public about amending his Department's guidance on sex education to allow parents to examine the materials used in their child's sex education classes; and if he will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: All schools are required by law to have regard to the Department's guidance on "Sex and Relationship Education" (2000). The guidance advises governors and head teachers to discuss with parents and take on board any concerns raised on sensitive materials to be used within the classroom. It also places a responsibility on schools to protect pupils from inappropriate teaching and materials. Additionally, all schools are required by law to have an up-to-date policy on sex and relationship education available to parents for inspection and this would normally reference key teaching resources.
	The Department regularly receives correspondence from hon. Members and members of the public on sex and relationship education in schools.
	There are no plans to amend the current guidance to schools on sex and relationship education.

Sprinklers

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost of fitting sprinklers in all new school buildings in England;
	(2)  what the cost was of  (a) repairing and  (b) rebuilding school buildings damaged by fire in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: holding answer 16 October2006
	Because we do not have reliable figures for the cost of installing sprinklers in schools, we commissioned consultants to carry out a study to establish them. Their survey covers a minimum of 20 primary and secondary schools, and is analysing both installation costs and maintenance costs. It commenced in July and should be completed later this month. We will include data from the study in the final draft of our new guide on fire safety, building bulletin 100 (BB 100), "Designing and Managing Against the Risk of Fire in Schools", which we expect to publish early next year. The most recent figures we have on school fires from the Department for Communities and Local Government are for 2000 to 2004. These cover school fires in England and Wales.
	
		
			   Number of fires  Total cost (£ million) 
			 2000 1,275 45 
			 2001 1,529 67 
			 2002 1,332 67 
			 2003 1,313 61 
			 2004 1,291 52 
		
	
	The costs are rounded to the nearest million and are derived from the (then) ODPM publication "Economic Cost of Fire, estimates for 2004". They cover property damage and the costs of the fire and rescue services attending the fires.

Student Finance

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of students who applied for  (a) student loans and  (b) grants from Suffolk Local Education Authority for the 2006-07 academic year received them in time for the start of that year; and what the equivalent figures were in the 2004-05 and 2005-06 academic years.

Bill Rammell: By 16 September 2006, Suffolk local authority had received 9,569 student finance applications, of which 91 per cent. had been processed to a point at which loan and grant payments could be released. On the same date in 2005, 68 per cent. of Suffolk's applications had been processed to the same stage and 59 per cent. processed to the same stage in 2004. Students submit one application only for their full student finance entitlement; therefore performance statistics do not distinguish between loans and grants.

Teacher Training

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students have taken up initial teacher training courses in each of the last two years.

Jim Knight: holding answer 19 October 2006
	The number of undergraduate and postgraduate students recruited into initial teacher training (ITT) courses in England for the academic years 2004/05 and 2005/06 were 34,520 and 33,830 respectively. These numbers included those in the fast track scheme.
	In addition to the number of entrants to initial teacher training (ITT) courses given above, 7,460 students started employment-based teacher training routes in 2004/05 and 4,510 as at the autumn term in 2005/06.

Teachers' Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the annual savings would be from increasing the employee contribution rate of the teachers' pension scheme by 1 per cent.; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The contribution rate currently paid by members of the Teachers' Pension Scheme (IPS) is 6 per cent. of salary. 1 per cent. of salary would equate to some £205 million in this financial year.
	From 1 January 2007, the IPS members' contribution rate will increase to 6.4 per cent. of salary. This is part of a package of IPS reforms that will include a normal pension age of 65 for new entrants and an agreement on an equal sharing of future cost pressures between members and employers, subject to a cap of 14 per cent. on the contribution paid by employers from the 2008 scheme valuation onwards. The overall package of reform, together with the agreement on cost sharing, will ensure the continuing financial sustainability of the TPS.

Teachers/Teaching Assistants

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of teachers in primary schools who speak  (a) Urdu and  (b) other languages used by children of a Pakistani and Kashmiri background.

Jim Knight: holding answer 19 October 2006
	The information requested is not collected centrally.

Teachers/Teaching Assistants

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many  (a) teachers and  (b) teaching assistants are employed in (i) the West Midlands and (ii) Coventry.

Jim Knight: holding answer 19 October 2006
	The following table shows the full-time equivalent number of teachers and teaching assistants employed in local authority maintained schools in the West Midlands and Coventry in January 2006.
	
		
			  Full-time equivalent regular teachers (excluding occasionals) and teaching assistants in local authority maintained schools in the West Midlands and Coventry, January 2006 
			   Teachers  Teaching assistants 
			 West Midlands 49,400 17,430 
			 Coventry 2,980 770 
			  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.  Source: Survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies, (618g) and Annual School Survey.

Thumb Prints

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance he has issued to school governors on whether they should consult parents before implementing a policy of taking thumb prints for library issues.

Jim Knight: The Department has not issued guidance to school governors on whether they should consult parents before implementing a policy of taking thumb prints for library issues. It is for each school to establish that it is acting lawfully in processing pupils' personal data and, on a case-by-case basis, is acting in compliance with the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Data Protection Act 1998, and the common law of confidentiality. The British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (BECTA) published guidance for schools in 2004 on their obligations and responsibilities under the Data Protection Act and other related legislation.

Unauthorised Absence

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what levels of truancy were in  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Department does not hold data on pupils recorded as truant. However, the figures for the proportion of half days missed due to unauthorised absence (of which truancy forms a part) in maintained mainstream primary schools and maintained mainstream secondary schools in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority are given in the following tables.
	
		
			  Percentage of half days missed in maintained mainstream primary schools( 1)  due to unauthorised absence( 2) 
			  Local authority  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06( 3) 
			 Barking and Dagenham 1.2 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.52 1.37 1.34 1.27 1.22 
			 Barnet 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.64 0.56 0.65 0.74 0.54 
			 Barnsley 0.7 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.77 0.75 0.53 0.63 0.78 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.33 0.32 0.32 0.28 0.34 
			 Bedfordshire 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.21 0.21 0.17 0.22 0.25 
			 Bexley 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.36 0.35 0.33 0.44 0.54 
			 Birmingham 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.7 0.67 0.65 0.64 0.64 0.74 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 0.7 0.7 0.5 0.5 0.46 0.45 0.50 0.40 0.46 
			 Blackpool 0.8 0.7 0.8 0.8 0.86 0.68 0.71 0.73 0.61 
			 Bolton 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.37 0.33 0.33 0.37 0.51 
			 Bournemouth 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.3 0.24 0.20 0.21 0.27 0.25 
			 Bracknell Forest 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.22 0.15 0.16 0.17 0.23 
			 Bradford 1.1 1.1 0.9 0.9 0.76 0.69 0.70 0.82 0.95 
			 Brent 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.49 0.41 0.55 0.54 0.59 
			 Brighton and Hove 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.54 0.55 0.51 0.59 0.48 
			 Bristol, City of 1.0 1.0 0.9 1.0 0.92 0.93 0.89 0.90 0.91 
			 Bromley 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.40 0.43 0.60 0.53 0.68 
			 Buckinghamshire 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.25 0.27 0.24 0.28 0.27 
			 Bury 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.42 0.28 0.25 0.21 0.22 
			 Calderdale 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.25 0.31 0.30 0.38 0.30 
			 Cambridgeshire 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.33 0.34 0.39 0.39 0.46 
			 Camden 1.1 1.3 1.2 1.3 1.10 0.77 0.56 0.57 0.60 
			 Cheshire 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.4 0.34 0.38 0.39 0.40 0.39 
			 Cornwall 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.36 0.30 0.32 0.39 0.39 
			 Coventry 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.29 0.22 0.31 0.26 0.28 
			 Croydon 0.6 0.7 0.5 0.7 0.55 0.69 0.73 0.63 0.67 
			 Cumbria 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.20 0.21 0.17 0.16 0.15 
			 Darlington 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.29 0.18 0.33 0.33 0.39 
			 Derby City 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.76 0.61 0.60 0.67 0.75 
			 Derbyshire 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.43 0.41 0.36 0.38 0.36 
			 Devon 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.26 0.25 0.26 0.24 0.24 
			 Doncaster 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.50 0.40 0.31 0.32 0.43 
			 Dorset 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.31 0.25 0.25 0.24 0.29 
			 Dudley 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.32 0.37 0.28 0.34 0.39 
			 Durham 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.14 0.10 0.12 0.15 0.15 
			 Ealing 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.3 0.25 0.22 0.27 0.26 0.33 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.19 0.19 0.13 0.12 0.12 
			 East Sussex 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.37 0.41 0.53 0.77 0.71 
			 Enfield 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.11 1.11 0.81 0.75 0.71 
			 Essex 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.4 0.35 0.37 0.37 0.33 0.38 
			 Gateshead 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.35 0.26 0.27 0.23 0.22 
			 Gloucestershire 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.24 0.24 0.23 0.26 0.24 
			 Greenwich 1.7 1.6 1.4 1.3 1.38 1.45 1.24 1.16 1.33 
			 Hackney 1.3 1.5 1.5 1.6 1.36 1.36 1.16 1.04 1.13 
			 Halton 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.57 0.46 0.44 0.47 0.53 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1.3 1.4 1.2 0.9 0.61 0.76 0.70 0.62 0.80 
			 Hampshire 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.36 0.33 0.30 0.29 0.29 
			 Haringey 1.4 1.4 2.0 1.7 1.62 1.39 1.13 1.21 1.09 
			 Harrow 0.5 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.32 0.21 0.17 0.14 0.17 
			 Hartlepool 0.5 0.7 0.8 0.8 0.76 0.80 0.60 0.51 0.51 
			 Havering 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.21 0.24 0.22 0.27 0.32 
			 Herefordshire 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.18 0.19 0.20 0.22 0.25 
			 Hertfordshire 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.37 0.34 0.32 0.33 0.35 
			 Hillingdon 0.8 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.71 0.67 0.58 0.55 0.59 
			 Hounslow 0.9 0.8 0.9 1.1 1.03 1.19 1.16 1.08 1.10 
			 Isle of Wight 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.20 0.12 0.10 0.12 0.17 
			 Isles of Scilly 0.1 0.0 0.2 — — 0.70 0.42 0.87 0.21 
			 Islington 1.1 1.2 1.2 1.1 1.20 1.26 0.96 0.81 0.72 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1.4 1.3 0.9 1.1 0.89 0.59 0.40 0.35 0.46 
			 Kent 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.37 0.37 0.36 0.43 0.47 
			 Kingston upon Hull, City of 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.68 0.65 0.55 0.57 0.63 
			 Kingston upon Thames 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.3 0.25 0.22 0.23 0.29 0.24 
			 Kirklees 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.48 0.41 0.40 0.35 0.35 
			 Knowsley 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.69 0.64 0.75 0.66 0.78 
			 Lambeth 1.3 1.2 1.1 1.2 1.07 1.07 0.97 1.01 0.98 
			 Lancashire 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.34 0.31 0.32 0.34 0.35 
			 Leeds 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.47 0.43 0.39 0.39 0.44 
			 Leicester City 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.7 0.64 0.71 0.71 0.70 0.74 
			 Leicestershire 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.17 0.17 0.18 0.20 0.21 
			 Lewisham 1.3 1.3 1.5 1.7 1.35 1.06 0.97 1.09 1.09 
			 Lincolnshire 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.33 0.28 0.29 0.26 0.24 
			 Liverpool 0.8 0.8 0.6 0.6 0.53 0.52 0.48 0.45 0.48 
			 London, City of 1.9 1.6 1.9 0.9 0.32 0.00 0.29 0.03 0.03 
			 Luton 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.58 0.53 0.50 0.55 0.67 
			 Manchester 1.2 1.0 0.9 1.0 0.88 0.83 0.85 0.93 1.05 
			 Medway 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.36 0.30 0.31 0.37 0.35 
			 Merton 0.8 0.8 0.6 0.5 0.38 0.35 0.33 0.39 0.27 
			 Middlesbrough 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.5 0.35 0.37 0.42 0.49 0.49 
			 Milton Keynes 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.35 0.29 0.22 0.24 0.25 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.51 0.49 0.38 0.41 0.47 
			 Newham 2.0 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.53 1.04 0.71 0.76 0.91 
			 Norfolk 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.46 0.45 0.41 0.42 0.41 
			 North East Lincolnshire 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.19 0.23 0.23 0.24 0.22 
			 North Lincolnshire 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.28 0.22 0.22 0.31 0.33 
			 North Somerset 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.23 0.31 0.26 0.28 0.27 
			 North Tyneside 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.11 0.12 0.17 0.18 0.20 
			 North Yorkshire 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.17 0.16 0.17 0.18 0.22 
			 Northamptonshire 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.44 0.39 0.38 0.42 0.44 
			 Northumberland 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.21 0.19 0.19 0.19 0.26 
			 Nottingham City 1.2 1.1 1.0 0.8 0.75 0.70 0.62 0.68 0.68 
			 Nottinghamshire 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.42 0.39 0.35 0.36 0.34 
			 Oldham 0.6 0.7 0.5 0.5 0.44 0.46 0.41 0.39 0.40 
			 Oxfordshire 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.32 0.29 0.26 0.30 0.28 
			 Peterborough City 0.5 0.5 0.7 0.6 0.50 0.51 0.49 0.47 0.51 
			 Plymouth 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.29 0.26 0.26 0.25 0.29 
			 Poole 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.50 0.47 0.46 0.42 0.49 
			 Portsmouth 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.74 0.82 0.73 0.75 0.69 
			 Reading 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.56 0.43 0.46 0.51 0.53 
			 Redbridge 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.76 0.77 0.77 0.80 0.93 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.22 0.25 0.25 0.30 0.32 
			 Richmond upon Thames 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.27 0.32 0.35 0.44 0.53 
			 Rochdale 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.49 0.57 0.70 0.75 0.70 
			 Rotherham 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.55 0.46 0.40 0.45 0.66 
			 Rutland 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.19 0.15 0.07 0.05 0.05 
			 Salford 1.1 0.8 0.6 0.6 0.51 0.43 0.59 0.66 0.71 
			 Sandwell 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.44 0.47 0.48 0.51 0.64 
			 Sefton 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.23 0.22 0.20 0.28 0.40 
			 Sheffield 1.1 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.77 0.66 0.64 0.69 0.71 
			 Shropshire 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.13 0.13 0.13 0.14 0.17 
			 Slough 0.6 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.70 0.75 0.79 0.87 1.11 
			 Solihull 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.24 0.31 0.36 0.43 0.46 
			 Somerset 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.28 0.27 0.26 0.32 0.47 
			 South Gloucestershire 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.29 0.27 0.21 0.24 0.23 
			 South Tyneside 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.11 0.15 0.20 0.19 0.22 
			 Southampton 0.9 1.0 0.8 0.9 0.77 0.60 0.66 0.75 0.74 
			 Southend-on-Sea 0.7 0.5 0.7 0.6 0.67 0.60 0.40 0.43 0.37 
			 Southwark 1.7 1.6 1.6 1.7 1.78 1.74 1.61 1.34 1.25 
			 St. Helens 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.39 0.35 0.33 0.39 0.46 
			 Staffordshire 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.24 0.22 0.19 0.19 0.22 
			 Stockport 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.39 0.31 0.30 0.27 0.29 
			 Stockton on Tees 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.14 0.21 0.22 0.29 0.35 
			 Stoke on Trent 0.5 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.69 0.74 0.67 0.67 0.77 
			 Suffolk 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.26 0.25 0.27 0.31 0.33 
			 Sunderland 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.16 0.18 0.21 0.23 0.29 
			 Surrey 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.31 0.29 0.25 0.28 0.28 
			 Sutton 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.41 0.26 0.31 0.37 0.51 
			 Swindon 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.2 0.23 0.20 0.23 0.30 0.39 
			 Tameside 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.24 0.36 0.32 0.27 0.33 
			 Telford and Wrekin 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.28 0.27 0.29 0.22 0.23 
			 Thurrock 0.8 0.8 0.6 0.7 0.54 0.53 0.57 0.68 0.66 
			 Torbay 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.36 0.34 0.35 0.29 0.30 
			 Tower Hamlets 1.7 1.4 1.5 1.5 1.38 1.20 1.19 1.22 1.27 
			 Trafford 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.17 0.17 0.18 0.19 0.12 
			 Wakefield 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.51 0.55 0.55 0.53 0.50 
			 Walsall 0.8 0.6 0.7 0.5 0.47 0.47 0.40 0.39 0.44 
			 Waltham Forest 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.53 0.54 0.68 0.53 0.63 
			 Wandsworth 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.56 0.58 0.57 0.57 0.64 
			 Warrington 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.31 0.33 0.47 0.52 0.67 
			 Warwickshire 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.16 0.20 0.19 0.16 0.18 
			 West Berkshire 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.36 0.30 0.31 0.34 0.30 
			 West Sussex 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.26 0.25 0.21 0.23 0.24 
			 Westminster, City of 1.1 1.4 0.9 0.9 0.77 0.62 0.51 0.68 0.87 
			 Wigan 0.3 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.25 0.25 0.24 0.28 0.31 
			 Wiltshire 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.30 0.30 0.31 0.30 0.31 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.3 0.28 0.34 0.40 0.37 0.29 
			 Wirral 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.39 0.41 0.30 0.27 0.26 
			 Wokingham 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.21 0.20 0.21 0.25 0.26 
			 Wolverhampton 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.44 0.49 0.51 0.51 0.56 
			 Worcestershire 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.17 0.19 0.23 0.22 0.27 
			 York, City of 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.41 0.45 0.32 0.30 0.38 
		
	
	
		
			  Percentage of half days missed in maintained mainstream secondary schools( 1)  due to unauthorised absence( 2) 
			  Local authority  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06( 3) 
			 Barking and Dagenham 2.0 2.0 1.7 2.0 2.04 1.91 1.93 2.00 1.57 
			 Barnet 0.8 0.9 1.1 1.3 0.95 0.97 1.07 1.01 0.90 
			 Barnsley 1.9 2.0 1.9 1.3 1.56 1.38 1.35 1.50 1.99 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 0.4 0.6 0.6 0.6 1.08 0.83 0.83 0.95 0.98 
			 Bedfordshire 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.41 0.42 0.42 0.68 0.50 
			 Bexley 0.5 0.6 1.1 1.1 1.19 0.75 1.11 0.71 1.12 
			 Birmingham 1.7 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.62 1.50 1.59 1.42 1.39 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 1.3 1.4 1.4 1.2 1.34 1.26 1.13 1.03 1.30 
			 Blackpool 1.6 1.6 1.9 1.3 1.33 1.37 1.88 1.70 1.91 
			 Bolton 1.8 1.7 1.2 1.2 1.19 1.14 1.37 1.85 1.59 
			 Bournemouth 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.55 0.59 0.66 1.30 0.59 
			 Bracknell Forest 0.5 1.1 0.9 1.2 0.90 0.87 0.70 0.82 1.15 
			 Bradford 2.0 2.2 2.0 2.6 2.42 2.63 2.83 2.93 2.63 
			 Brent 0.7 0.9 1.0 0.9 0.73 0.86 0.56 1.05 0.67 
			 Brighton and Hove 1.1 0.9 1.1 1.4 1.18 1.47 1.50 1.21 1.32 
			 Bristol, City of 1.6 1.9 2.2 2.3 2.34 2.05 2.23 2.52 2.41 
			 Bromley 0.6 0.6 0.6 1.1 1.10 1.09 1.00 1.13 1.16 
			 Buckinghamshire 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.54 0.65 0.70 0.74 0.87 
			 Bury 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.67 0.70 0.49 0.50 0.68 
			 Calderdale 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.75 0.77 0.61 0.72 1.05 
			 Cambridgeshire 0.7 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.77 0.81 0.80 1.04 1.02 
			 Camden 1.8 1.6 1.5 1.6 1.41 1.58 1.17 1.38 2.25 
			 Cheshire 0.7 0.6 0.7 0.9 0.85 0.87 0.88 1.19 1.04 
			 Cornwall 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.40 0.50 0.79 0.69 0.83 
			 Coventry 1.3 1.4 1.3 1.1 0.95 1.00 0.81 0.96 0.94 
			 Croydon 0.6 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.68 1.10 1.18 1.39 1.40 
			 Cumbria 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.75 0.82 0.94 0.97 0.94 
			 Darlington 1.6 1.3 1.6 1.0 1.13 1.07 1.05 1.84 2.23 
			 Derby City 0.8 0.8 0.8 1.1 1.46 125 1.71 1.79 1.66 
			 Derbyshire 1.1 1,0 0.9 1.0 0.96 0.96 0.98 1.07 1.03 
			 Devon 0.7 0.9 1.0 1.0 1.05 1.03 1.36 1.30 1.30 
			 Doncaster 2.1 2.2 2.3 1.8 1.54 1.58 1.59 1.77 1.74 
			 Dorset 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.7 0.57 0.48 0.46 0.54 0.61 
			 Dudley 0.6 0.7 .0.7 0.6 0.69 0.86 1.00 1.25 1.51 
			 Durham 1.5 1.3 1.1 0.8 0.73 0.69 0.68 0.8', 0.77 
			 Ealing 1.4 1.2 1.2 1.0 1.02 0.87 0.70 0.74 0.75 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.89 0.69 0.67 0.56 0.54 
			 East Sussex 1.3 1.1 1.2 1.2 1.41 1.35 1.41 1.34 1.35 
			 Enfield 1.0 1.4 1.7 1.8 1.92 1.85 1.49 1.85 1.63 
			 Essex 0.8 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.90 0.84 1.00 1.09 1.09 
			 Gateshead 1.6 1.3 1.3 1.3 0.96 0.97 0.90 0.91 0.99 
			 Gloucestershire 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.49 0.51 0.56 0.83 0.90 
			 Greenwich 2.4 2.2 1.9 2.3 2.49 2.37 2.82 2.69 2.85 
			 Hackney 2.2 2.6 2.2 3.1 2.57 2.07 1.86 1.88 1.24 
			 Halton 1.2 1.5 1.6 2.0 2.48 2.24 2.71 2.74 1.87 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 2.8 2.6 2.2 2.0 1.76 1.69 1.72 1.66 1.12 
			 Hampshire 0.8 0.8 0.8 1.0 1.13 1.07 1.06 1.23 1.20 
			 Haringey 1.9 2.1 2.3 1.9 2.43 2.32 1.84 1.86 1.88 
			 Harrow 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.69 0.52 0.48 0.51 0.45 
			 Hartlepool 2.6 2.0 1.6 1.9 1.63 1.69 1.13 0.98 0.87 
			 Havering 0.7 0.5 0.5 0.7 0.60 0.56 0.61 0.64 0.83 
			 Herefordshire 0.6 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.81 0.80 0.99 1.05 1.38 
			 Hertfordshire 0.6 0.7 0.6 0.7 0.91 0.75 0.75 0.77 0.77 
			 Hillingdon 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.1 1.49 1.63 1.43 1.58 1.75 
			 Hounslow 1.0 1.2 0.9 1.0 1.05 1.02 1.15 1.09 1.31 
			 Isle of Wight 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.67 0.85 0.78 1.34 1.20 
			 Isles of Scilly 0.4 1.0 0.1 — — — — — — 
			 Islington 2.7 2.6 2.0 2.0 1.65 1.51 1.41 1.72 1.69 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 2.4 2.4 1.8 2.4 1.91 1.66 1.01 0.59 0.66 
			 Kent 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.74 0.67 0.82 1.14 1.30 
			 Kingston upon Hull, City of 3.7 3.3 2.9 2.5 2.67 2.44 2.43 2.78 2.76 
			 Kingston upon Thames 0.8 0.9 0.9 0.6 0.57 0.51 0.33 0.61 0.58 
			 Kirklees 1.3 1.3 1.2 1.2 1.13 1.19 1.09 1.06 1.01 
			 Knowsley 3.1 2.8 3.1 3.1 3.06 2.84 2.10 2.19 2.19 
			 Lambeth 1.5 0.9 1.0 1.2 0.99 0.60 0.50 0.58 0.57 
			 Lancashire 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.82 0.82 0.88 0.93 0.95 
			 Leeds 1.9 1.9 2.0 1.8 1.85 1.92 2.00 1.89 1.88 
			 Leicester City 1.9 2.0 1.9 2.2 2.31 2.59 3.04 2.86 2.25 
			 Leicestershire 1.0 1.0 1.2 1.3 1.28 1.19 1.18 1.36 1.33 
			 Lewisham 2.6 2.5 2.9 3.5 2.68 2.38 2.49 1.91 1.84 
			 Lincolnshire 0.9 1.0 0.8 0.7 0.73 0.78 0.83 0.85 0.69 
			 Liverpool 2.1 1.6 1.6 1.9 1.77 1.68 1.91 2.00 1.72 
			 London, City of — — — — — — — — — 
			 Luton 0.9 0.7 0.9 0.7 0.63 0.79 0.74 0.85 0.91 
			 Manchester 2.6 2.1 1.9 1.7 1.70 1.68 2.18 2.80 2.89 
			 Medway 0.9 1.0 1.0 0.7 0.58 0.77 0.60 1.26 1.26 
			 Merton 2.5 2.2 1.7 1.5 1.20 1.34 1.34 1.62 1.01 
			 Middlesbrough 1.7 1.3 1.6 1.0 1.02 1.11 1.08 1.56 1.30 
			 Milton Keynes 0.7 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.51 0.71 0.76 1.38 1.09 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 1.1 1.0 1.3 1.2 1.69 1.27 0.96 1.03 1.15 
			 Newham 3.2 3.2 2.7 2.3 2.12 1.60 1.23 1.09 0.86 
			 Norfolk 0.9 0.9 0.9 1.0 1.07 1.02 1.02 1.08 1.24 
			 North East Lincolnshire 2.3 1.9 1.8 1.5 1.53 1.72 1.80 1.69 1.41 
			 North Lincolnshire 1.2 1.0 1.1 0.9 1.34 0.91 0.89 0.89 0.92 
			 North Somerset 1.1 0.9 0.7 0.8 1.05 1.13 1.03 0.79 1.05 
			 North Tyneside 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.67 0.86 1.26 1.07 1.03 
			 North Yorkshire 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.53 0.57 0.57 0.74 0.65 
			 Northamptonshire 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.9 1.00 1.08 1.16 1.35 1.38 
			 Northumberland 0.5 0.6 0.4 0.6 0.36 0.34 0.41 0.50 0.60 
			 Nottingham City 3.9 3.0 2.9 3.1 3.08 2.37 2.26 2.07 2.59 
			 Nottinghamshire 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.2 1.30 1.49 1.75 1.94 1.68 
			 Oldham 1.8 1.6 1.4 1.1 1.38 1.55 1.24 1.16 1.23 
			 Oxfordshire 1.4 1.5 1.3 1.4 1.32 1.09 1.19 1.01 0.88 
			 Peterborough City 1.2 1.2 0.9 1.2 1.22 0.89 1.17 1.25 1.19 
			 Plymouth 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.56 0.59 0.72 0.92 0.88 
			 Poole 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.84 0.94 1.06 1.69 1.75 
			 Portsmouth 1.9 1.4 1.8 1.8 1.63 1.42 1.70 1.84 1.84 
			 Reading 1.4 1.2 0.8 1.1 1.21 1.99 2.13 1.40 1.18 
			 Redbridge 0.4 0.4 0.6 0.5 0.73 0.69 0.94 0.93 0.92 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 1.3 1.2 1.2 1.4 1.10 0.97 1.03 1.41 1.23 
			 Richmond upon Thames 1.0 1.5 1.9 2.5 2.54 2.10 1.99 2.51 2.34 
			 Rochdale 1.9 1.4 1.4 1.2 1.59 1.41 1.62 1.49 1.52 
			 Rotherham 1.5 1.2 1.2 1.1 1.58 1.27 1.60 1.66 2.07 
			 Rutland 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.48 0.49 0.41 0.47 0.38 
			 Salford 1.2 1.4 1.3 1.4 1.57 2.19 2.67 2.78 2.11 
			 Sandwell 1.8 1.6 1.5 1.1 1.71 1.56 1.94 1.82 2.12 
			 Sefton 0.7 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.69 0.67 0.72 0.76 0.75 
			 Sheffield 2.2 1.9 1.8 2.1 2.17 2.02 2.03 2.34 1.98 
			 Shropshire 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.56 0.46 0.45 0.57 0.66 
			 Slough 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.3 1.22 1.46 1.55 1.28 0.81 
			 Solihull 0.6 0.7 0.5 0.6 0.89 0.82 0.62 0.89 0.84 
			 Somerset 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.63 0.63 0.82 1.01 1.16 
			 South Gloucestershire 1.1 1.1 1.4 1.2 0.96 1.25 1.09 0.90 0.86 
			 South Tyneside 0.3 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.62 0.69 1.70 0.66 0.73 
			 Southampton 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.31 1.18 1.19 1.87 1.77 
			 Southend-on-Sea 1.4 1.2 1.4 1.9 1.42 1.34 1.78 1.79 1.62 
			 Southwark 2.6 2.3 1.9 1.8 1.74 1.79 1.59 1.69 2.21 
			 St Helens 0.5 0.6 1.0 0.9 0.91 1.13 1.07 1.55 1.42 
			 Staffordshire 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.55 0.66 0.63 0.62 0.64 
			 Stockport 1.3 1.2 1.0 0.9 0.95 0.82 0.94 0.99 1.30 
			 Stockton on Tees 0.8 0.9 0.6 0.4 0.52 0.72 0.87 0.78 1.02 
			 Stoke on Trent 1.1 1.2 1.2 1.6 1.64 1.50 1.50 2.13 1.99 
			 Suffolk 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.89 1.08 1.32 1.29 1.37 
			 Sunderland 1.2 1.2 1.0 0.9 0.99 0.90 1.19 1.37 0.98 
			 Surrey 0.4 0.5 0.7 1.0 0.97 0.98 1.09 1.19 1.19 
			 Sutton 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.89 0.66 0.69 0.67 0.78 
			 Swindon 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.7 0.76 0.67 1.07 0.89 0.88 
			 Tameside 1.2 1.3 1.1 1.2 1.04 0.43 0.46 0.89 1.09 
			 Telford and Wrekin 1.0 0.8 1.0 0.9 0.63 0.51 0.61 0.95 1.06 
			 Thurrock 1.5 1.3 1.3 1.1 0.93 1.62 1.25 1.24 1.62 
			 Torbay 0.7 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.26 1.49 1.47 1.58 1.85 
			 Tower Hamlets 2.8 2.2 2.5 2.6 2.41 2.03 1.97 2.42 2.05 
			 Trafford 0.7 1.1 0.7 0.8 0.73 0.60 0.68 0.70 0.61 
			 Wakefield 0.7 1.0 0.7 0.9 0.84 1.00 0.94 1.04 0.82 
			 Walsall 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.82 0.86 1.09 1.14 1.27 
			 Waltham Forest 2.3 1.8 1.4 2.0 1.72 1.37 1.57 1.74 1.37 
			 Wandsworth 1.7 1.2 0.8 0.7 1.34 1.09 0.82 1.11 1.22 
			 Warrington 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.64 0.65 0.81 0.93 1.10 
			 Warwickshire 0.7 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.66 0.76 0.75 0.95 0.94 
			 West Berkshire 0.4 0.3 0.4 0.6 0.58 0.61 0.86 0.89 0.86 
			 West Sussex 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.88 0.75 0.73 0.92 0.76 
			 Westminster, City of 3.2 3.9 3.1 2.4 1.76 1.59 1.95 1.77 1.98 
			 Wigan 1.3 1.2 1.0 0.8 0.67 0.60 0.60 0.86 1.18 
			 Wiltshire 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.65 0.60 0.73 0.88 1.01 
			 Windsor & Maidenhead 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.65 0.72 0.75 1.00 0.84 
			 Wirral 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.48 0.54 0.61 0.54 0.72 
			 Wokingham 0.4 0.3 0.4 0.6 0.96 0.62 0.80 1.16 0.88 
			 Wolverhampton 1.5 1.4 1.3 1,2 1.06 1.20 1.13 1.18 1.05 
			 Worcestershire 0.7 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.61 0.76 0.60 0.79 0.93 
			 York, City of 0.6 0.8 1.1 1.1 1.02 1.14 105 1.04 1.13 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Figures are only available to 1 decimal place prior to 2001-02. (3 )Figures for 2005-06 are provisional. 
		
	
	Unauthorised absence is absence without leave from a teacher or other authorised representative of the school. This includes all unexplained or unjustified absences, such as lateness, holidays during term time not authorised by the school, absence where reason is not yet established and truancy.

Unauthorised Absence

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the Answer of 6 March 2006,  Official Report, column 1235W, to the hon. Member for South-West Hertfordshire (Mr. Gauke), on truancy, how much was spent for local authorities to share effective practice; what the nature of the events was; whom the advisers were; how much each adviser was paid; what percentage change in unauthorised absence figures occurred in each quarter since their appointment; how many electronic registration systems were purchased; and what the  (a) type,  (b) unit cost,  (c) supplier and  (d) monitoring arrangement was in each local authority area.

Jim Knight: The £0.2 million expenditure mentioned in the previous reply on events for local authorities includes termly meetings of local authority attendance leaders in each English region. These meetings are organised and facilitated by the National Strategies' Assistant Regional Advisors for Attendance. The purpose of each meeting is to present current developments and to share effective practice on attendance management between local authorities. A separate conference was held on 21 September 2005 for selected local authorities on improving school attendance.
	The eight attendance advisers who were seconded to my Department from local authorities were: Ron Collinson; Sandra Fletcher; Richard Harvey; Ken Johnson; Linda Rundle; Hilary Shaw; John Smail; and Ingvar Spencer. Their costs ranged between £32,000 and £71,000 and reflected their local authority salary. This was paid pro-rata as some of the advisers only worked for the Department on a part-time basis. Each received an amount for travel and subsistence and, in one case, for administrative support.
	The current Capita National Strategies Assistant Regional Advisors for Attendance team is made up of: Senior Regional Attendance Advisor: Sue Bainbridge; Current Assistant Regional Advisors for Attendance: Margaret Bleet; Heather Clapp; Chris Gabbett (from January 2007); Jean Gunning; Kenneth Hart; Colin Logan; Linda Rundle; Peter Walker; and Paul Wright. The previous Assistant Regional Advisors for Attendance were: Trevor Folley; Pippa Jackson; and Sam Penn.
	The salary scale for the Senior Regional Attendance Advisor is £59,963-£63,456. The salary scale for the Assistant Regional Advisors for Attendance is £51,984-£55,339.
	My Department does not collect pupil absence figures on a quarterly basis.
	£11.25 million was made available to fund electronic registration systems in around 530 secondary schools with high levels of unauthorised absence. Schools selected the system and the provider that best suited their needs. The following table shows the total amounts by supplier in grants awarded to schools.
	
		
			  Supplier  Total grants awarded (£) 
			 CCM 967,060 
			 Radun 110,430 
			 Easy Trace 24,080 
			 Capita 5,252,260 
			 RM 211,420 
			 Tasc 823,880 
			 Pearson 108,020 
			 Bromcom 2,634,190 
			 Bell 68,950 
			 Nedap 19,170 
			 Talmos 25,590 
			 Quinetic 67,470 
			 Sentinel 21,390 
		
	
	The effectiveness of the e-registration funding was evaluated by the Centre for Educational Development, Appraisal and Research at the University of Warwick. Their report was published in May 2006 and a copy has been placed in the Library.

Unauthorised Absence

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his most recent estimate is of the level of persistent unauthorised absence in  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools in (i) rural and (ii) non-rural areas in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The information required to answer the question is not yet available.
	The Department started to collect pupil level absence data for the first time from secondary schools in January 2006. Detailed absence statistics for 2005-06 will be available in a statistical first release provisionally scheduled for publication in February 2007.

University Research Assessment Exercise

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment has been made of the cost effectiveness of individual researchers in the University Research Assessment Exercise.

Bill Rammell: I made clear to my hon. Friend in my answer of 20 July 2006,  Official Report, column 649W, that the Government do not believe that the bureaucratic burden that the research assessment exercise places on individual scholars is cost efficient. The main purpose of the consultation exercise on the reform of research assessment and funding that ended on 13 October is to identify future arrangements that permit this burden to be reduced significantly.

University Research Councils

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funding his Department provides to university research councils; and what guidelines his Department has issued to university research councils on the use of their funds.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department provides funding to university research through the Research Councils. The Research Councils were allocated £2.6 billion by the Department in 2006-07.
	DTI provides funding under the Science and Technology Act 1965 to seven of the Research Councils: Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (which does not directly give grants to universities), Economic and Social Research Council, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Medical Research Council, Natural Environment Research Council and Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council. The Arts and Humanities Research Council receives funding from DTI under the Higher Education Act 2004. The eight Research Councils are incorporated by Royal Charter.
	A Management Statement for each Council sets out the framework within which it will operate. A Financial Memorandum sets out the financial framework within which each Research Council is required to operate. Copies have been placed in the House of Commons Library.

Video Games

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what studies his Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) assessed regarding the use of video games as an educational tool in school.

Jim Knight: In 2005 the Department commissioned a review of existing research into the role of electronic games in learning (Kirriemuir 2005, 2005b).
	In 2006 the Department commissioned the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA) to produce a publication that gave an overview of the current use of games in learning, the impact of such approaches on learning and importantly the needs of the teacher in this context. The publication released by ELSPA on 4 October 2006, "Unlimited Learning: Computer and video games in the learning landscape", offers a snapshot of what is happening across education and, importantly, offers an evidence base from which informed decisions can be taken by industry and education alike.

Young Asylum Seekers

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what his Department's policy is on the education of unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how much his Department spent on the education of unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people in  (a) Oxfordshire and  (b) England in each of the last three years.

Jim Knight: All children and young people should be able to achieve their potential, whatever their ethnic and cultural background and whichever school they attend.
	All unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) of compulsory school age receive the same educational entitlement as citizen children. All unaccompanied minors are cared for by the local authorities and therefore have the same entitlement as all looked-after children. Unaccompanied asylum seekers aged 16-18 are eligible for courses funded by the Learning and Skills Council.
	The Department has issued a guide to good practice for local authorities and schools "Aiming High: Guidance on Supporting the Education of Asylum Seeking and Refugee children". It explores the role of local authorities and schools and offers practical suggestions for the provision of good quality education for these vulnerable children. The guidance can be found on our website at:
	www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/ethnicminorities/
	The Department does not collect information centrally on expenditure on the education of UASC in school or further education. Local authorities can spend their Dedicated Schools Grant on the education of these children pre-16, and this can include resources targeted through the local funding formula to schools with children who have additional educational needs or special educational needs. As aforementioned, UASC aged 16-18 are eligible for courses funded by the Learning and Skills Council.
	The education of UASC is also supported by the Government through a number of specific grants. My Department provides funding to local authorities to support provision for bilingual learners and pupils from minority ethnic groups at risk of underachieving, through the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant (EMAG). This is a ring-fenced grant allocated to local authorities and distributed on a needs based formula. £173.6 million will be paid to local authorities for the period 2006-07.
	Children's Services Grant includes £42 million in 2006-07 for vulnerable children which is intended to secure improved access to education for vulnerable children, in particular: to provide high quality education for those unable to attend school or whose circumstances make it difficult for them to do so, such as school age mothers, Gypsy, Traveller and Roma children, asylum seekers and young carers; and to support attendance, integration or reintegration into school.
	The Department also provides funding to local authorities towards the cost of supporting UASC care leavers (aged 18 and over) through the UASC Leaving Care Grant. This funding is over and above mainstream funding and can be used towards general costs of supporting UASC care leavers, including education costs.

WALES

Departmental Travel

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much has been spent by his Department on  (a) chartering aircraft and  (b) non-scheduled air travel in each of the last five years.

Peter Hain: Nil.

Ministerial Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to the answer of 17 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1118W, on ministerial visits, on how many of the 97 days which he spent in Wales on official business he stayed overnight.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office only keeps records of those dates on which it was necessary to pay for accommodation out of public funds in furtherance of my ministerial duties. The Wales Office paid for hotel accommodation on five occasions. There is no public record of those occasions on which I stayed in my own private accommodation.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Forced Marriages

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what role she is playing in discussions on new legislation to proscribe forced marriage.

Meg Munn: As a member of the Inter-departmental Ministerial Group on Domestic Violence, I am actively involved in discussions with ministerial colleagues relating to this issue, and we all acknowledge the importance of taking appropriate steps to tackle forced marriage.
	A consultation was held from September to December 2005 on whether to create a specific criminal offence of forcing someone into marriage. We have considered fully the pros and cons of a specific offence before deciding whether or not to legislate, and Baroness Scotland announced the Government's decision not to introduce specific legislation on June 7 2006. Respondents feared that legislation would drive the problem further underground and increase the risk of forced marriage victims being taken overseas and held there.
	We have not ruled out the possibility of developing new legislation in relation to forced marriage in the future, but believe that a specific offence should only be created if there are gaps in existing legislation which cannot be filled. However, in order to tackle the issue more effectively, several recommendations for non-legislative activity will be taken forward. The Forced Marriage Unit is now pursuing the recommendations for non-legislative measures, including increasing training to professionals and more outreach work, increasing work with statutory agencies to implement guidelines, and making better use of existing legislation, civil remedies and the family courts.
	There are many existing criminal offences which may be committed during a forced marriage, such as kidnap, false imprisonment, assault, rape and in some cases murder. The Government support forced marriage victims who choose to make prosecutions and will continue to do so.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agency Budgets

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what change in the budget during 2006-07 has been requested of the  (a) Veterinary Laboratories Agency,  (b) Pesticides Safety Directorate,  (c) Veterinary Medicines Directorate and  (d) Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science; and what the likely staffing implications of such a change are in each case.

Barry Gardiner: Each of these bodies is required to cover its full economic costs within a permitted tolerance through charging for its services to Defra and other public and private sector customers. As such Defra does not set specific cost budgets in the same way as for other delivery bodies such as non-departmental public bodies. Rather it enters into negotiated contracts for services, some of which are demand led. Defra regularly reviews the expected levels of demand for these services and signals to agencies where throughput is lower than originally planned. The staffing implications of such changes are the responsibility of the agency's own accounting officer taking into account all of their business.
	So far during 2006-07 the only changes to the level of Defra's forecast business with these agencies was as follows:
	1. A £2.35 million reduction in the expected volume of animal surveillance and post-mortem testing work purchased from the Veterinary Laboratories Agency.
	2. A £839,000 reduction in the environmental policy and research services purchased from the Pesticides Safety Directorate.
	3. A £900,000 reduction in expected volume of fish health surveillance work purchased from the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science.
	4. A £283,000 reduction in non-statutory residues testing programme purchased from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate.

Animal Exports

Gwyn Prosser: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the  (a) place of departure,  (b) final destination and  (c) total journey time from the place of departure to the final destination was of each of the consignments of calves exported from Dover on 11 October; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: On 11 October, 14 consignments of calves were exported from Dover. Two consignments came from Wales, two came from the West Country, five came from the North and five came from the Midlands. Eight consignments went to Belgium, two went to France and four went to Spain.
	The duration of the journeys cannot be verified until the transporters return their route plans. They are required to do so 15 days after completion of each journey.

Animal Exports

Gwyn Prosser: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that suitable premises are available in the vicinity of Dover docks to which live animals destined for export can be taken and unloaded and given food, liquid and rest in the event of a substantial delay in the departure of the ship on which they are due to be transported; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: It is the responsibility of transporters to ensure that suitable premises are available, when necessary, for their animals to be given food, liquid and rest, and to have contingency plans to deal with unforeseen delays to journeys.

Animal Welfare

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to which countries young calves are exported from the UK for slaughter abroad; what his most recent estimate is of how many calves were exported to each; and what the normal journey times are to each country.

Ben Bradshaw: As at 11 October, the number of young calves exported for production this year from the UK to mainland Europe, by country, and estimated range of travelling times (excluding rest stops en route) are as follows:
	
		
			  Country  Estimated number of animals  Range of travelling times (hours( 1) ) 
			 Belgium 11,526 11-40 
			 France 2,349 11-19 
			 Germany 34 (2)18 
			 Italy 738 (3)28 
			 Netherlands 25,511 11-39 
			 Spain 3,200 27-46 
			 Total 43,358  
			 (1 )Journeys vary significantly, depending upon where in the United Kingdom the journey starts and the route taken. (2 )Single consignment. (3 )Multiple consignments to single destination.

Animal Welfare

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will assess the scale of  (a) rule breaking and  (b) welfare infringements concerning the care of animals exported for slaughter abroad.

Ben Bradshaw: All livestock exports are inspected for health and fitness to travel by local veterinary inspectors before loading at the premises of departure. In addition, at least 5 per cent. of vehicles are inspected by the State Veterinary Service (SVS) at the time the animals are loaded on to the vehicles. The SVS also inspect a minimum of 30 per cent. of vehicles at Dover.
	A total of 14 Statutory Notices have been served by the SVS at Dover. These notices have ordered remedial measures to be taken for breaches such as insufficient bedding, insufficient headroom and correcting stocking densities between different compartments of vehicles. A further two Statutory Notices were served by the SVS at supervised loadings at departure premises: one to prevent an unsuitable vehicle being used in hot weather and one to prevent too many animals being loaded. Oral warnings have also been given for more minor infringements. In all cases, the SVS write warning letters to the transporter and carry out follow-up checks to ensure future compliance.
	In addition, all export journeys require route plans. Plans for all new routes are checked to ensure they meet rest and journey time requirements. Journeys will not be allowed to start unless the requirements have been met. Route plans must be returned to the issuing Animal Health Divisional Office within 15 days of completion of the journey. On receipt, the details of the actual journey undertaken as recorded by the transporter are checked for compliance.

Bioethanol

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he plans to take to improve opportunities for farmers to supply sugar beet for the production of bioethanol.

Ian Pearson: Following the reform of the sugar regime, farmers can grow sugar beet on set-aside land for bioethanol use and can claim the European Union's €45 per hectare Energy Aid payment for sugar beet on non set-aside land. We are aware that British Sugar are building a biofuel processing plant in Norfolk that will use sugar beet as one of the feedstocks.
	The Government are promoting the production of bioethanol through a 20 pence per litre duty rate cut. To further develop the supply of biofuels, a Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation will be introduced to require 5 per cent. of fuel sold in the UK to come from a renewable source by 2010. An enhanced capital allowance scheme is also being considered for the cleanest biofuels processing plants. This would allow the cost of capital assets to be written-off against taxable profits.

Bovine Tuberculosis

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects to respond to the report by members of the Independent Scientific Group on the effect of the culling of badgers on the spread of bovine TB.

Ben Bradshaw: I assume my hon. Friend is referring to the paper 'Culling and cattle controls influence TB risk for badgers' produced by members of the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB and published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on 2 October.
	We do not intend to issue a formal response to the paper. However, the findings from this work will be taken into account alongside all the other evidence when considering if badger culling should form part of the TB control programme.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many and what percentage of cattle TB reactors had open lesions at post-mortem in the 12 months following the resumption of TB testing after the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001.

Ben Bradshaw: When tuberculosis (TB) testing resumed after the foot and mouth disease outbreak, it was targeted at those herds considered most at risk from developing the disease. In 2002, a total of 23,744 cattle were slaughtered under TB control measures in Great Britain. Of these, 6,993 cases (just over 29 per cent.) were confirmed by the identification of lesions at post-mortem examination and/or isolation of 'Mycobacterium bovis' in the laboratory.
	The location and nature of TB lesions in slaughtered animals are not recorded on a central electronic database and, therefore, this information is not readily available. An assessment of the infectiousness of a reactor cannot always be made on the basis of a routine slaughterhouse post-mortem examination. Furthermore, there is not a direct correlation between the nature and extent of gross TB lesions found in the carcase and the ability to excrete 'Mycobacterium bovis'.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what conclusions his Department has reached on the relative importance of channels for transmission of TB among animals.

Ben Bradshaw: The bi-directional transmission of infection between badgers and cattle is undisputed— i.e. both are capable of being the source of infection for the other, and both are capable of maintaining the infection in their respective groups in the absence of the other. Transmission of infection can be either through direct (animal to animal) contact or indirect contact from the environment. Wild deer may in certain situations act as a reservoir of infection although a recent quantitative risk assessment has shown that the relative risk to cattle from wild deer is lower than that from badgers.
	Research demonstrates that due to the combination of the differences in the pathology of the disease and the active surveillance, testing and culling policy pursued in cattle, a higher proportion of badgers are infected and when infected they are more likely to be infectious.
	We are continuing to carry out research to try to clarify the relative importance of the different routes of transmission. For example, recent research using data from the Randomised Badger Culling Trial has shown that during the foot and mouth disease outbreak in 2001 when cattle TB testing and badger culling was suspended, the prevalence in badgers increased and contributed to an increase in cattle TB.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he has taken to ensure the reliability and robustness of the consultation on badgers.

Ben Bradshaw: The consultation has been invaluable in helping us hear from all sides of the debate.
	The summary of all the responses received a detailed type of response, including those from the seven campaigns by wildlife groups. We will take this into account, along with the Advertising Standards Authority ruling on the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals campaign, when considering public opinion on this issue.
	The summary of responses and report on the citizens' panels are available on the DEFRA website at www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/tb/abouttb/badgers.htm#public

Bovine Tuberculosis

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of  (a) capabilities of the tuberculin previously manufactured at Weybridge and  (b) tuberculin manufactured at Lelystad in Holland to detect animals infected with TB.

Ben Bradshaw: The chief veterinary officer recently issued a report on a reduction in the number of new tuberculosis (TB) incidents in Great Britain (GB). This report is available from the DEFRA website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/tb/stats/index.htm
	The report includes an assessment of the performance characteristics of the tuberculins manufactured by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) and by Lelystad in Holland in the context of GB's TB in cattle testing programme. It suggests that, although the two tuberculins perform slightly differently in the field, and that this could be a small contributory factor to the reduction in the number of new TB incidents, the difference is not significant enough to account for the whole fall.
	Both tuberculins are produced and assayed to the same standard, as part of European Union licensing procedures. However, as tuberculin is a biological product, there has always been variability between batches—even from the same supplier. Our reviews do not call into question the efficacy of either tuberculin supply.
	DEFRA has established arrangements to purchase further supplies of tuberculin from Lelystad as required to minimise the risk of disruption to the TB testing programme. Either Lelystad or VLA tuberculin will be released for field use as stocks become available.
	We will continue to closely monitor and analyse the relative performance characteristics of the two sources of tuberculin currently used in GB.

Departmental Expenditure

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent by  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies in respect of hotel and other similar privately-provided accommodation (i) in the UK and (ii) abroad for (A) Ministers, (B) staff and (C) other persons in each year since 2001-02.

Barry Gardiner: The information could be provided in the requested format only at disproportionate cost.
	The Department does record total bed and breakfast costs for the UK and abroad, and figures are available for the last three financial years:
	
		
			  £000 
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 UK 1,082 1,611 2,408 
			 Abroad 853 970 1,101 
		
	
	These figures exclude the rural payments agency, the Central Science Laboratory and the Department's non-departmental public bodies.
	All travel is conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code, Travel by Ministers and the Civil Service Management Code.
	Information relating to overseas travel by Ministers is published on an annual basis. Information for the period 2 May 1997 to 31 March 2006 is available in the Library of the House. Information for the financial year 2006-07 will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the current financial year.

Departmental Expenditure

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department has spent on taxis in the last 12 months.

Barry Gardiner: The Department does not hold information on travel by taxi centrally and this could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Since the beginning of this financial year core Defra has accounted for taxi costs separately and this information should be available from the end of the financial year.

Farm Subsidies

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much Government paid to farmers in subsidies in each of the last 20 years in real terms.

Barry Gardiner: The table shows subsidies and other payments paid direct to farmers in the United Kingdom between 1986 and 2005 in real terms at 2005 prices and also the retail price index. The data include subsidies and other payments funded by the EU. They exclude compensation for losses due to foot and mouth disease in 2001 and other capital transfers.
	Agreement on CAP reform was reached in May 1992 (The "McSharry Reforms"). Major changes were made to a number of commodity regimes and an agri-environment initiative was agreed. In particular, there was a shift from market support for cereals and beef to direct payments to farmers.
	
		
			  Subsidies and other payments made to farmers in real terms at 2005 prices: United Kingdom 
			  Year  Retail Price Index  Coupled subsidies( 1)  Decoupled subsidies and other payments( 2)  Total subsidies and other payments 
			   2000=100  £ million 
			 1986 57 111 81 858 
			 1987 60 734 19 753 
			 1988 63 714 18 732 
			 1989 68 667 28 695 
			 1990 74 682 24 706 
			 1991 78 949 35 984 
			 1992 81 1,115 45 1,160 
			 1993 83 2,406 259 2,664 
			 1994 85 2,246 348 2,594 
			 1995 88 2,713 343 3,056 
			 1996 90 3,498 306 3,803 
			 1997 92 3,154 230 3,384 
			 1998 96 2,871 247 3,118 
			 1999 97 2,755 369 3,124 
			 2000 100 2,465 334 2,800 
			 2001 102 2,129 594 2,723 
			 2002 103 2,323 612 2,935 
			 2003 106 2,302 659 2,961 
			 2004 110 2,436 602 3,038 
			 2005(3) 113 212 2,831 3,043 
			  Note: Data exclude compensation for losses due to foot and mouth disease in 2001 and other capital transfers. (1 )Payments directly linked to the production of agricultural products, e.g. sheep annual premium, beef special premium scheme, less levies, e.g. milk super levy. (2 )Payments not linked to the production of agricultural products, e.g. single payment scheme, agri-environment schemes, support for less favoured areas. (3 )Data for 2005 are provisional.

Foxes

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what changes have taken place to the fox population of England in each of the past five years.

Barry Gardiner: Data on UK mammal population trends for 1995-2004, show population estimates of 195,000 foxes in England, and 22,000 in Wales. The population is thought to be fairly stable, with slight increases occurring in years with mild winters. However, there are no firm data available about changes to fox populations year-by-year.

Gangmasters

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the  (a) names and  (b) addresses are of each licensed gangmaster in north-east Cambridgeshire; and which firms of gangmasters in north-east Cambridgeshire have applied for a licence.

Barry Gardiner: Information about the names and addresses of licence holders and applicants is collected by county but not by parliamentary constituency.
	As at 17 October 2006, 45 licence holders and three applicants were recorded by the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) with head offices based in Cambridgeshire. The names, addresses and other contact details of the licence holders and applicants are available on the GLA website at: http://laws.gla.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu&Module=PublicRegister

Hague Preference

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what occasions since 1997 the UK has invoked the Hague Preference; what the  (a) amount reserved and  (b) increase in share was in each case; on how many occasions stocks were at a level where the Preference could have been used but was not; and if he will make a statement on his policy on the use of the Hague Preference.

Ben Bradshaw: The historic data are not available without incurring disproportionate cost. However, in recent years, the UK has invoked the Hague Preference on all stocks on which the Irish Government invokes it, in order to minimise the UK losses that flow from Irish invocation. In the North Sea, we have avoided invoking the Hague Preference on severely depleted stocks such as cod, but maintain our right to invoke on other stocks, if circumstances demand. The table shows the net effect of our 2006 invocations. We are currently reviewing our approach to use of the Hague Preference.
	
		
			   Initial Quota  Initial Quota  Final Quota  Final Quota  Net estimated value of HP impact (£million) 
			  Species  UK  IRE  UK  IRE  UK 
			 Cod Vb, VI(1) XII 322 76 368 138 0.081 
			 Cod Vila (2) 780 853 527 1204 -0.454 
			 Cod VI I b- k(3), VIII 462 569 439 818 -0.041 
			 Plaice Vila(4) 822 643 485 1051 -0.419 
			 Saithe Vb,VI,(5), XII 2262 310 3592 467 0.569 
			 Whiting Vila(6) 231 173 169 252 -0.046 
			  Total: -0.310 
			 (1) West of Scotland (2) Irish Sea (3) Area includes Channel, Celtic Sea (4) Irish Sea (5) West of Scotland (6) Irish Sea

Lead Shot Regulations

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the operation of the Environmental Protection (Restriction on Use of Lead Shot) (England) Regulations 2003.

Barry Gardiner: In England, legislation prohibiting the use of lead shot on named Sites of Special Scientific Interest, considered important for waterfowl, and all Ramsar (wetland) sites, came into force in 1999. It also prohibited the use of lead shot for shooting various waterfowl species. Minor amendments to the species and sites listed in the 1999 regulations were made in 2002 and 2003. Resources permitting, my Department is planning to undertake an assessment of compliance with lead shot regulations during 2007-08. The results of the compliance work will inform a review of the operation of the regulations that I hope will take place later in 2008.

Lead Shot Regulations

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how his Department will assess compliance with the Environmental Protection (Restriction on Use of Lead Shot) (England) Regulations 2003; and what funding is available for this work.

Barry Gardiner: Defra is planning to let a contract for a study to identify methods of monitoring compliance and has allocated £30,000 for this work.

Ministerial Travel

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will list the occasions since he has held his present office on which he has used  (a) rail services,  (b) the London underground,  (c) tram or light railway services and  (d) buses in connection with his Ministerial duties.

Barry Gardiner: holding answer 17 October 2006
	The Secretary of State regularly uses rail services in connection with his Ministerial duties; to produce a list of every time he has done so could be done only at disproportionate cost. He has not used the London Underground, tram or light railway services or buses in connection with his Ministerial duties but regularly uses public transport in a personal capacity.

Mooring Fees

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the annual rate of increase has been in fees charged by the Environment Agency for mooring boats on the waters for which they are responsible in each of the last five years for which figures are available; what increases are proposed; what discussions he has had with the agency regarding the reasons for these increases; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: The Environment Agency currently let out a variety of moorings to boaters across their waterways. The charges and charging regimes vary from region to region in accordance with their historic governance. The agency is proposing increases in navigation charges of seven per cent plus the cost reflective index, which, based on this past year, is 5 per cent. This formula will be applied for three years starting in 2007-08. Increases in mooring rates vary between waterways across the agency's regions. As an illustration, the charging structure for moorings on the Thames has increased in line with other navigation charges (such as boat registration) over the last five years, as set out as follows:
	
		
			  Charging rates for moorings on the Thames 
			   2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Class 1 powered craft (per m/per month) (£) 9.62 9.87 10.28 10.84 11.59 
			 Class 2 powered craft (per m/per month) (£) 6.57 6.74 7.02 7.40 7.91 
			 Towpath moorings (per m/per month) (£) 9.77 10.03 10.45 11.01 11.77 
			 Open craft (per year) (£) 69.79 71.61 74.61 78.64 84.07 
			   
			 Percentage increase 2.4 2.6 4.2 5.4 6.9 
		
	
	Defra and agency officials hold regular liaison meetings where navigation issues are discussed. This includes proposed charging arrangements. However, the agency does not require ministerial permission to increase its navigation charges.

Natural England

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the system will be in place in Natural England to transfer the responsibility for the signing off of spending from the chief executive; and to whom the responsibility will be transferred.

Barry Gardiner: holding answer 18 October 2006
	The Natural England Skeleton Board agreed a scheme of delegation, both financial and non-financial, between the board and the chief executive at its meeting on 13 September. Financial delegations from the chief executive to the rest of the organisation have been put in place for vesting on 1 October and are now operational. The detail of certain non-financial delegations are still being developed but will be agreed shortly.

New Zealand Butter

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs When he expects the issue of import licences for New Zealand butter to be resumed; and what representations he has made about this.

Ben Bradshaw: On 1 October, Commission Regulation (EC) No 1452/2006 lifted the temporary suspension on issuing import licences for New Zealand butter that was imposed after the recent European Court of Justice ruling. The Regulation allows for the remaining 14,294.6 tonnes of butter from the 2006 quota to be imported before 31 December under a modified procedure.
	In the meantime, discussions between the Commission and New Zealand, and the Commission and member states, on the changes necessary to the administration of the 2007 quota year and beyond will continue.
	We are working closely with the Commission, other member states and New Zealand to ensure that the disruptions to trade are minimal and that a new system for the administration of the New Zealand butter quota can be implemented quickly and smoothly.

Organic Farming

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what acreage of farmland has converted to organic farming in each of the last 20 years.

Ben Bradshaw: The following table provides information on the total area of organically managed land (fully organic and land in conversion) in the UK in each year since 1993. Information for earlier years could be gathered only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Organically managed land in the UK 
			   Thousand hectares 
			 April 1993 30.4 
			 February 1994 30.7 
			 April 1995 45.2 
			 April 1996 48.2 
			 April 1997 50.8 
			 April 1998 81.9 
			 April 1999 276.0 
			 January 2000 425.9 
			 December 2000 527.3 
			 December 2001 679.6 
			 June 2002 699.9 
			 December 2002 724.5 
			 March 2003 741.2 
			 January 2004 695.0 
			 January 2005 674.5 
			 January 2006 619.9 
			 Source: OASIS

Shoreline Management

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance he has given to local authorities on the appropriateness of including social justice as a material consideration in drafting shoreline management plans; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: Guidance for authorities on the preparation of revised shoreline management plans (SMPs) is published on the Department's website. SMPs aim to provide a strategic framework within which sustainable coastal erosion and flood risk management strategies can be developed for the coast. It is essential to have sustainable policies in place to guide future investment and inform the development planning process. The analysis informing SMPs should be as full as possible, within the level of detail appropriate to this high level of strategic planning.
	Social and environmental impacts should be taken into account in deciding the most sustainable management policies for the coastline insofar as it is practical to do so, and all available information used for the economic analysis. Approaches to helping communities adapt to a changing coastline, including addressing any social justice implications, are being considered under the Department's "Making space for water" programme.

Single Farm Payments

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Rural Payments Agency will begin to distribute single farm payments for 2006-07; if he will give a date by which his Department expects all payments to be made; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State said in his statement on 22 June 2006,  Official Report, column 1478, that delivery of the 2006 single payment scheme will be very challenging and that he did not want to commit to a particular payment timetable until the chief executive of the Rural Payments Agency has had an opportunity make a realistic assessment of the prospects. That remains the position.

Single Farm Payments

Robert Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs by what date farmers in England are expected to receive the full balance of their 2005 Single Payment Scheme payment.

Barry Gardiner: holding answer 17 October 2006
	As at 11 October, 113,461 claimants (97.41 per cent.) had received a total of £1.504 billion (99.27 per cent.) in full or partial payments based on an estimated total number of eligible claimants of 116,474 and an estimated total fund value of £1.515 billion.
	Of approximately 3,000 customers who have yet to receive any payment, most have claims valued below €1,000 (£682). This figure includes 75 outstanding priority one customers (those due an estimated €1,000 or above) with complex cases involving issues such as probate, liquidation and business partnership disputes. In addition, some 6,361 customers are awaiting the balance to their partial payment.
	The RPA will pay the outstanding sums in all these cases as soon as possible.

Single Farm Payments

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when farmers in the East Midlands are expected to receive the full balance of their 2005 single payment scheme payment.

Barry Gardiner: The Single Payment Scheme is not administered on a regional basis, so it is not possible to identify specific payments outstanding to farmers in the East Midlands.
	The RPA will endeavour to pay outstanding cases as soon as possible, although it is not possible to suggest a timeframe to clear all cases.
	As at 11 October, 113,461 claimants (97.41 per cent.) had received a total of £1.504 billion (99.27 per cent.) in full or partial payments based on an estimated total number of claimants of 116,474 and an estimated total fund value of £1.515 billion.
	Of approximately 3,000 customers who have yet to receive a payment, most have claims valued below €1,000 (£682). This figure includes 75 outstanding priority one customers (those due an estimated €1,000 or above) with complex cases involving issues such as probate, liquidation and business partnership disputes.

Warm Front Scheme

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which contractors are used by the Warm Front Scheme in the East Midlands.

Ian Pearson: The following contractors are appointed for the installation of heating and insulation in the East Midlands area, under the Warm Front Scheme:
	Better Plumbing Services Ltd
	BGC Gas Services Ltd
	Blue Flag Ltd
	East Coast Gas Services (Grimsby)
	Fenhams Contracts
	Heating Efficiency Systems Ltd
	Heating Solutions t/a Premier Services
	Interglow (Contracts) Ltd
	J&I Crump & Son Ltd
	Joatrad Services Ltd (IsI)
	JPS Insulation Ltd
	Kershaw Contracting Services Ltd
	Khi Ltd
	Lionheart Heating Services Ltd
	Mark Insulations Ltd
	Miller Pattison Ltd (Biggleswade)
	Millfold Group (Rotherham)
	Paul Brant Plumbing & Heating
	Smethwick Energy Action Ltd
	Staywarm Insulation
	Sun Realm Heating Co. Ltd
	Westville Ltd

Warm Front Scheme

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes have been provided with heating under the Warm Front Scheme in  (a) England and  (b) Bolsover constituency in the last two years.

Ian Pearson: The number of households in England and in Bolsover constituency that have been assisted with heating under Warm Front in the period 2004-06 is in the following table:
	
		
			   England  Bolsover 
			 2004-05 56,038 50,883 
			 2005-06 102 52

Waste Management

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate the Government have made of the amount of  (a) vermin and  (b) litter in each year since 2001.

Ben Bradshaw: Data from the Local Environment Quality Survey of England, conducted by ENCAMS, show that there has been a steady improvement in cleansing performance over the last four years since the survey began. The following table shows how the national benchmarks for litter and detritus (combined) have improved:
	
		
			   Proportion of unsatisfactory sites for litter and detritus (percentage) 
			 2001-02 28 
			 2002-03 26 
			 2003-04 22 
			 2004-05 19 
		
	
	However, certain types of litter are on the increase. For example, fast food litter has increased over the past four years. In 2001-02 it occurred on 4 per cent. of sites surveyed, rising to 16 per cent. in 2002-03, 18 per cent. in 2003-04, and 22 per cent. in 2004-05.
	The Local Environmental Quality Survey of England 2004-05 is available on the ENCAMS website at: http://www.encams.org/general/leqse0405.asp.
	No estimates have been made of any change in the level of vermin. The only recent objective national survey of rat presence is within the English House Condition Survey. The 2001 survey revealed that 0.3 per cent. of properties had rats indoors and 2.9 per cent. had rats present outside.
	A copy of the report can be found on the Defra website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-country side/vertebrates/reports/English-house-survey-rodent-report.pdf.
	Advisory leaflets are also available on the Defra website, which deal with a range of wildlife problems and ways to resolve them, including the control of rats. These can be found at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/vertebrates/leaflets.htm.

Water Efficiency

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs why the Government have ruled out mandatory testing of new build residential accommodation for water efficiency targets.

Ian Pearson: Defra and the Department for Communities and Local Government have been looking at ways of improving water efficiency in buildings. We are considering a number of proposals on water efficiency in new and existing homes, and on the domestic uses of water in non-household property. No decisions have yet been made, and we intend to hold a full public consultation on the content of any regulation proposed. This process will begin before the end of the year, and decisions will be made early in 2007.

Water Efficiency

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures the Government have in place to ensure efficient use of water supply; and how it is liaising with  (a) the water companies,  (b) Ofwat and  (c) the Environment Agency to see such measures implemented.

Ian Pearson: Under the Water Industry Act 1991, water companies in England and Wales have a duty to promote the efficient use of water by their customers. The extent of the measures that water companies undertake to promote water efficiency varies according to their water resource position. I expect water companies in water stressed areas to have a more comprehensive programme of measures.
	In October 2005, the Government established the Water Saving Group, which I chair. It brings together key water industry stakeholders including water companies, Ofwat and the Environment Agency, to promote the efficient use of water in households. The group has a comprehensive action plan to deliver in a two year period. It includes work on measuring success, including looking at .possible targets and benchmarks, research into customers' perceptions of (and attitudes to) water use, the policy and regulatory framework, developing incentives for water efficiency and identifying and addressing gaps in the knowledge base.
	The Government announced in March 2006, following the end of the consultation on the Code for Sustainable Homes, that it was planning to introduce mandatory minimum standards for water efficiency. A joint Defra and Department for Communities and Local Government project is developing proposals for new homes, existing buildings and domestic uses of non-household buildings. The proposals will be the subject of consultation by the end of the year.
	The Government also supports a number of programmes to further sustainable water use by businesses, such as Envirowise and the Enhanced Capital Allowance scheme for water efficient technologies.

Waterways

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much grant-in-aid his Department allocated to British Waterways in each year since 1997 expressed in  (a) actual and  (b) real terms; and what future payments are planned, expressed in the same terms.

Barry Gardiner: The following table shows the grant-in-aid paid by Defra to British Waterways between the financial years of 1996-97 and 2006-07.
	
		
			   £ million 
			  Financial year  Actual cash grant  Grant in real terms at today's prices 
			 1996-97 51.0 64.9 
			 1997-98 51.9 64.2 
			 1998-99 53.6 64.6 
			 1999-2000 59.0 69.7 
			 2000-01 64.9 75.7 
			 2001-02 61.4 69.9 
			 2002-03 71.6 79.1 
			 2003-04 76.6 82.2 
			 2004-05 59.1 61.7 
			 2005-06 62.6 64.1 
			 2006-07 55.5 55.5 
		
	
	The Department is reviewing future budgets with its agencies and non-departmental public bodies as part of a Department-wide review of spending plans to ensure full alignment with strategic priorities.

Waterways

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect on inland waterways of the reduction in the budget of the Environment Agency.

Barry Gardiner: The EA's board has decided to maintain the level of spending on its navigation capital works towards addressing the existing backlog of maintenance on its built assets. However, the EA has made a reduction of £0.5 million in its navigation operating budget for 2006-07. In making this reduction the EA has sought to minimise the impact on front line service delivery.

Welsh Language

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department has adopted a Welsh language policy.

Barry Gardiner: The DEFRA Welsh Language scheme was prepared in accordance with the Welsh Language Act 1993 and was agreed by the Welsh Language Board on 31 October 2002.
	The scheme sets out the service that DEFRA will provide to the "public in Wales" with regard to Welsh language provision. This scheme applies to the areas of work that DEFRA has responsibility for in Wales—devolved areas are the responsibility of the National Assembly for Wales which has its own scheme. Further information is available on the DEFRA website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/welshlangscheme/index.htm.

SCOTLAND

Consolidated Fund

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the value was of each monthly transfer to the Scottish Consolidated Fund in the most recent year for which figures are available.

David Cairns: The figures for 2005-06 were:
	
		
			   £ million 
			  2005  
			 April 1,956 
			 May 1,770 
			 June 1,675 
			 July 1,535 
			 August 1,883 
			 September 1,500 
			 October 1,877 
			 November 829 
			 December 1,756 
			   
			  2006  
			 January 1,600 
			 February 1,942 
			 March 2,543 
			 Total 20,866

PRIME MINISTER

Muslims

Paul Goodman: To ask the Prime Minister what arrangements his Office has in place for offering him advice on Islam and matters relating to Muslims; and who his advisers are on Islam and Muslim affairs.

Tony Blair: Where appropriate, I am advised by my officials on matters relating to Muslim communities. In addition, I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals on a wide range of subjects, and I have met representatives of UK Muslim communities and Muslim youth groups on a number of occasions.
	The Department for Communities and Local Government is the lead Department on domestic matters relating to Muslim communities and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is the lead department on international matters. Where appropriate officials seek advice from these departments.

Policy Review Committees

Mark Hoban: To ask the Prime Minister what the  (a) purpose and  (b) remit is of his four policy review committees announced by his official spokesman on 20 September 2006; and if he will make a statement on the progress with the work of the committees.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the press briefing given by my official spokesman on 19 October. A transcript of this is available on the No. 10 website and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Arms Exports

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what monitoring is carried out by the Government on the end-use of arms exports from the UK  (a) by (i) criminal gangs, (ii) pariah states, (iii) terrorists, (iv) paramilitaries and (v) rebel forces and  (b) for the purposes of human rights abuses.

Kim Howells: All applications are assessed against the Consolidated EU and National Export Licensing Criteria and other prevailing circumstances at the time of application. If there is any risk that the equipment will be diverted from its stated end use, a licence will not be issued. If information comes to light about possible diversion of equipment after export, this will be taken into account when assessing future applications.

Arms Exports

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect of the export by the UK of military parts and equipment to states identified in her Department's Annual Human Rights Report as major countries of concern on the human rights situations in those countries.

Kim Howells: All export licenses are assessed on a case by case basis against the EU and National Consolidated Export Licensing Criteria. This includes in Criterion 2 the
	'respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country of final destination'.
	If an export is considered inconsistent with the criteria, a licence will not be issued. Should it come to light that an export has breached the criteria it was assessed against, this will be taken into account when considering future applications or may result in the licence being revoked.
	Given the thorough and strict pre-licensing assessments, we are confident that our exports do not have adverse effects on the human rights situations in the countries of final destination.

Arms Exports

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with her Cabinet colleagues about UK exports of military equipment and parts to  (a) Burma,  (b) China,  (c) North Korea,  (d) Iran,  (e) Russia,  (f) Saudi Arabia and  (g) Zimbabwe; and what assessment she has made of the impact of those exports upon the human rights situation in those countries.

Kim Howells: Regular contacts between Cabinet colleagues take place on UK exports of military equipment and parts and will include, when necessary, arms sales to destinations which may be a cause for concern.
	All export licences are assessed on a case by case basis against the EU and National Consolidated Export Licensing Criteria. This includes in criterion 2 the 'respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country of final destination'. If an export is considered inconsistent with the criteria, a licence will not be issued. Given the thorough and strict pre-licensing assessments, we are confident that our exports do not have adverse effects on the human rights situations in the countries of final destination.

British Embassy (Dili)

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate she has made of how much will be saved by the closure of the British embassy in Dili; how much will be raised by the sale of embassy  (a) property and  (b) chattels in Dili; what the cost will be of the relocation of services to Jakarta; and whether training will be required for new staff in Jakarta dealing with East Timorese cases and issues.

Ian McCartney: An annual saving of £341,353 will be made by the closure of our embassy in Dili.
	We did not own any of the buildings that we occupied in Dili. Some chattels have been recycled or returned to the UK (communications, IT equipment). Two vehicles have been sold, £2,677 raised, and a third awaits sale.
	An uplift of £5,900 has been made to the local budget of our embassy in Jakarta. This is to cover the additional travel requirements of Jakarta-based staff arising from the transfer of responsibility as well as the running costs of our newly-appointed Honorary Consul in Dili. There was also a one-off uplift of £1,000 to cover the start-up costs for the Honorary Consul. Jakarta-based staff will not require any additional training for their East Timor-related duties.

British Embassy (Dili)

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many  (a) Britons and  (b) locally engaged people were employed at the British embassy in Dili in each year since 2002; and how many members of staff in the Indonesian embassy in Jakarta will work on East Timorese cases and issues when the embassy in Dili closes.

Ian McCartney: The numbers of UK and locally engaged (LE) staff who worked in our embassy in Dili from 2002 to 2006 are as follows:
	
		
			   UK-based staff  Locally engaged staff 
			 2002 2 4 
			 2003 2 6 
			 2004 2 6 
			 2005 2 7 
			 2006 2 (1)2 
			 (1) At closure. 
		
	
	Six members of UK-based staff at our embassy in Jakarta now include East Timor issues in their work. This is in addition to the duties they already hold.

British Embassy (Dili)

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 12 October 2006,  Official Report, column 34WS, on the British embassy (Dili), how many British citizens have sought help from the British embassy for each year since the establishment of an independent East Timor Government in 2002; how many East Timorese citizens have sought help from the British embassy in Dili since 20 May 2002; and what assessment she has made of the effect of the closure on British citizens in East Timor.

Ian McCartney: The numbers of British citizens who have sought help from our embassy in Dili between 2002 and 2006 are as follows:
	
		
			   Number of British citizens 
			 2002-03 308 
			 2003-04 180 
			 2004-05 172 
			 2005-06 170 
		
	
	As Dili was not a visa-issuing post, no East Timorese citizens sought the help of our embassy there.
	Our embassy in Jakarta has now assumed responsibility for consular matters in East Timor. An honorary consul in Dili has also been appointed.

Burma

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what sanctions the Government are operating in respect of Burma.

Ian McCartney: All EU member states are bound by the EU Common Position on Burma, which includes the following sanctions on the Burmese government: an arms embargo; a ban on defence links; a ban on the supply of equipment that may be used for internal repression; an asset freeze and travel ban on members of the regime, their families and those who benefit from their policies. There is also a ban on most non-humanitarian aid and development programmes. The Common Position also prohibits listed state-owned companies from receiving loans or credit and investment from EU member states and EU-registered companies and organisations.
	The Common Position, last updated on 27 April 2006, can be found on the EU website at: http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/lex/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2006/l_l16/l_l1620060429en00770097.pdf
	A copy of the Common Position has been placed in the Library of the House.

Burma

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what the policy of  (a) the Government and  (b) the EU is on a UN Security Council resolution on Burma;
	(2)  what steps she is taking to build support for a UN Security Council resolution on Burma amongst EU member states.

Ian McCartney: The UK fully supports the US proposal to secure a UN Security Council resolution on Burma. We worked very closely with the US and other members of the Council to secure the votes needed to add Burma to the UN Security Council agenda on 15 September.
	All five EU member states who are currently on the UN Security Council have indicated their support for a UN Security Council resolution on Burma.

Burma

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to reduce imports to the UK from Burma.

Ian McCartney: The Government have not imposed restrictions on imports from Burma. The EU has removed, however, trade preferences for products imported from Burma. The value of imports from Burma fell by more than 50 per cent. between 2004 and 2005. The goods imported consist mainly of textiles and fisheries products, industries which provide employment to ordinary people in Burma.

Child Welfare

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response she has made to the report of the independent expert for the United Nations' study on violence against children; what plans she has to implement the relevant recommendations of that report; what advice and assistance her Department gave to the committee which produced the report; and what representations she has received on that report.

Ian McCartney: We welcome Professor Pinheiro's report on violence against children, providing an in depth global picture of the serious issue of abuses of children's rights. We believe that implementation by states of the recommendations set out in the report would undoubtedly provide a better protective environment for children throughout the world.
	The recommendations set out in the report mirror much of the work already being carried out in the UK to protect children from all forms of abuse. We will continue to work with our international partners to take forward these recommendations in other countries, working to ensure children throughout the world can enjoy their human rights and be protected from all forms of violence.
	The UK (Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development) contributed 17 per cent. of the total cost of the study, equating to £450,000.
	We have received requests from the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and from non-governmental organisations in the field asking the UK to endorse the report and lend support to its recommendations. To that end, we have discussed and continue to discuss with EU and UN partners how best to promote the recommendations, including at the UN General Assembly Third Committee this year.

China

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the Chinese Government about trade with  (a) Zimbabwe and  (b) Africa.

Ian McCartney: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not had any such recent discussions with the Chinese Government on this issue. The UK and China are committed to increasing their dialogue on Africa. These contacts will reinforce the structured dialogue on Africa agreed by the EU and China at their summit on 9 September and provide opportunities to discuss with China a range of issues relating to Africa, including the importance of trade and investment.
	Increased trade is essential to Africa's development and China's rapidly growing trade with Africa is already contributing to higher growth rates in Africa. It is important that all Africa's trading partners, including China, act in ways that support the principles for sustainable development outlined in Africa's own New Partnership for Africa's Development (NePAD agenda, including good governance and sound economic management—features currently so sadly lacking in Zimbabwe.

China

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether  (a) human rights,  (b) the death penalty,  (c) media freedom and  (d) Tibet were raised during the Chinese Prime Minister's recent visit to the UK.

Ian McCartney: Both my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary discussed human rights issues during Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to the UK in September. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister raised with Premier Wen restrictions on foreign media organisations operating in China and concerns about Tibet. The Foreign Secretary, in a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, urged China to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which includes provisions on the death penalty, at the earliest possible date. A list of individual cases of concern was handed over during the same visit.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people the UK plans to send to act as election monitors for the second round of the Democratic Republic of Congo presidential elections.

Ian McCartney: The UK intends to send observers for the second round of elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as it did for the first round. The UK observation team will comprise about sixteen British civil servants, together with three or four hon. Members.
	The UK observers will contribute to the wider EU Election Observation Mission in the DRC. In addition to the UK observation team, independent British observers will be participating in the EU mission.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice she has offered the Democratic Republic of Congo on election procedures and monitoring.

Ian McCartney: The UK is the biggest bilateral donor to the election process in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), contributing £30 million. The international community has provided logistical support and advice to the DRC Independent Electoral Commission (CEI). The UK has also participated in the elections steering committee, in which international electoral experts have discussed voting procedures, transparency and logistics with the CEI to enable them to hold free and fair elections in the DRC.
	We have encouraged the CEI to make the process as transparent as possible. There are an estimated 50,000 national and 1,000 international observers registered for the second round of elections.

EU Member States (Visa Requirements)

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with the governments of  (a) Bulgaria and  (b) Romania on the visa requirements that will be imposed on (i) UK citizens and (ii) UK subjects on the accession of these states to the European Union.

Geoff Hoon: The Secretary of State has not discussed these requirements with the Bulgarian or Romanian authorities.
	There is currently no visa requirement for British citizens travelling to either Bulgaria or Romania for a stay under 90 days. For Bulgaria, if British citizens wish to stay beyond 90 days, they must obtain a visa prior to their stay. For Romania, British citizens must apply for temporary Residence Permits from the Passport Office for Foreigners in Bucharest. Following EU accession, EU legislation on the right of Free Movement of Persons will apply.
	British subjects travelling to Bulgaria or Romania, must obtain a visa prior to travel. This will continue to apply following EU accession.

Immigration Cases

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when HM high commission, Islamabad, received copies of the appeal decision in the case of Mr. M.A.S. (reference S1312876; IM/29409/2006), husband of Mrs. N. B. of Aylesbury; when the high commission intends to act on the immigration judge's ruling; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The visa section in Islamabad has no record of receiving the appeal determination in this case. UKvisas has requested that the determination be despatched as soon as possible so that the visa section in Islamabad can act on the immigration judge's ruling.

Israel

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make inquiries to the Israeli authorities about the hold up at Ashdod port of specialist equipment supplied through the UNESCO programme for heritage restoration work in the Old City of Jerusalem; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: Staff from our consulate general in Jerusalem have contacted United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation, who explained that the delay was due to Israeli public holidays. They expect the issue to be resolved within a matter of days.

Middle East

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the ban which has been imposed by the Israeli military on Palestinian students from the West Bank taking up places at Israeli universities.

Kim Howells: We are aware of one case where a Palestinian student has been unable to attend an Israeli university. This has been due to freedom of movement restrictions. We remain concerned about Israel Defence Force restrictions on the movement of Palestinian students from the West Bank to Israeli universities, just as we are concerned about the freedom of movement of all Palestinian individuals. We will continue to raise our concerns with the Israeli Government.

Nigeria

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the Government of Nigeria about  (a) press freedom,  (b) civil liberties and  (c) human rights.

Ian McCartney: We raise any specific concerns about human rights, or other restrictions, directly with the Nigerian Government. Two recent examples were:
	in May 2006, officials from our high commission in Abuja joined with EU partners, in making representations to the Nigerian Government on a homosexuality Bill stressing that, if adopted, it would be incompatible with Nigeria's obligations under international human rights treaties;
	in June 2006, the high commission in Abuja issued a statement expressing our concern about the detention by the Nigerian authorities of two journalists who had written a derogatory article about the purchase of a new presidential plane.
	Both issues were resolved satisfactorily.
	We continue to monitor the human rights situation in Nigeria and we will raise any further shortcomings with the appropriate authorities as and when they arise.

North Korea

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role the UK will take in the enforcement of the provisions of Paragraph 8 of UN Security Council Resolution 1718 regarding  (a) the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), through their territories or by their nationals, of proscribed items,  (b) the freezing of funds and financial assets linked to DPRK nuclear or weapons-related programmes and  (c) the inspection of cargo to and from the DPRK.

Margaret Beckett: The UK strongly supported and co-sponsored UN Security Resolution 1718 (2006) condemning the announced nuclear test by DPRK, and is fully committed to implementation of the sanctions. The UK will be implementing and enforcing the provision relating to the export to DPRK of proscribed items through the UK's existing arrangements for export controls. The freezing of funds and financial assets will be implemented through secondary legislation, consistent with other UN sanctions regimes. The UK is currently discussing with its international partners what steps are appropriate in relation to the provision on cargo inspections.

North Korea

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps she is taking to enforce UN sanctions against North Korea; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: The UK strongly supported and co-sponsored UN Security Resolution 1718 (2006) condemning the announced nuclear test by Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK), and is fully committed to implementation of the sanctions. The UK will be implementing and enforcing the provision relating to the export to DPRK of proscribed items through the UK's existing arrangements for export controls. The freezing of funds and financial assets will be implemented through secondary legislation, consistent with other UN sanctions regimes. The UK is currently discussing with its international partners what steps are appropriate in relation to the provisions of UNSCR 1718 (2006).

Occupied Territories

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of trends in refusals by the Israeli Government of permits for Palestinians holding foreign passports to enter, re-enter or continuously reside in the Occupied Territories.

Kim Howells: Since spring 2006 the Israeli authorities have been more strictly enforcing entry procedures towards foreign nationals who wish to visit the Occupied Territories. We estimate that hundreds of foreign nationals have been refused entry. Our embassy in Tel Aviv raised our concerns with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 21 August.

Pakistan

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she has made representations to the Pakistan authorities about the effect on gender equality of the Hudood Ordinance; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: UK officials, along with our EU partners, have made repeated calls—most recently in June of this year—for the Government of Pakistan to repeal the Hudood Ordinances and place any necessary sections in the Pakistan Penal Code. The Government of Pakistan introduced welcome proposals for the reform of the Hudood Ordinances (the "Protection of Women" Bill) in the National Assembly in August 2006. However, in the face of significant parliamentary opposition, the Government have had to delay passage of the Bill. With our EU partners we will continue to encourage the Government of Pakistan to pass these reforms as soon as possible.

Russia

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has received about the jamming of BBC radio services in Russia.

Geoff Hoon: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not received any representations regarding the jamming of BBC radio services in Russia and the BBC is not aware of any recent efforts to jam its services in Russia. Earlier this year, AM/MW transmissions were briefly interrupted because of a regulatory issue. However, the matter was speedily resolved. All transmissions have since been operating as normal.

Somalia

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the regional implications of the Union of Islamic Courts gaining control of Mogadishu and Kismayo, Somalia.

Ian McCartney: The security situation in Somalia remains extremely fragile and further conflict could have serious implications for stability in the Horn of Africa. We continue to believe that the Transitional Federal charter for Somalia and the institutions created under it are the only existing mechanism for restoring long-term stability. This is the mechanism approved by the UN. We continue to urge all parties inside and outside Somalia to refrain from action that could provoke violence, to respect the UN arms embargo on Somalia and to pursue a peaceful resolution through dialogue under the Khartoum process.

South Africa

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the expropriations of farm land in South Africa.

Ian McCartney: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 18 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1249W.

Special Forces

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what her policy is on the use by her Department of persons who have resigned from the SAS or SBS to carry out operations abroad; and what accountability procedures apply in such cases.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 19 October 2006
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has a strict code of conduct governing the employment of all contractual staff. Details of the employment of contract staff are, like those applying to its full-time employees, confidential.

Special Operations

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will ensure that all operations carried out by the Inc., its successor bodies, or other similar units are subject to the same rules of accountability as apply to operations carried out officially by MI6.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 19 October 2006
	My responsibility for the work of the Secret Intelligence Service is set out in the Intelligence Services Act 1994. There are well-established procedures for ensuring compliance with the terms of this and other relevant legislation, and for the accountability of the service. These procedures encompass any person, including any UK Crown servant, acting in support of the service in the carrying out of its functions under the Act.
	It is the long-standing policy of the Government not to comment on operational intelligence matters or the activities of UK Special Forces.

Special Operations

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make it her policy to state where it is the case that members of the Inc. or similar bodies have been involved when asked whether British military personnel are involved in an operation.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 19 October 2006
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him today (UIN 95300).

Sri Lanka

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the bombing of the orphanage at Mullaitivu in Sri Lanka.

Kim Howells: We are seriously concerned about the deterioration of human rights in Sri Lanka in recent months. Any abuse of human rights is to be deplored, and it is essential that all parties to the conflict refrain from actions that may result in violations of human rights. We have raised our concerns with the Sri Lankan Government at the highest levels, and our high commissioner in Colombo presses Sri Lankan Ministers regularly on these issues.
	We note reports that at least sixty adolescents have died following bombing by the Sri Lanka Airforce of the Sencholai compound in Mullaitivu. It is tragic that so many lives, particularly of young people, have been lost in such circumstances. The full facts and circumstances of the bombing are not yet clear, and it is vital to establish the truth of this and other recent allegations not least for the relatives of those killed and injured. The frequent inability to establish the full circumstances and truth of such incidents is a clear and recurrent source of frustration to those directly affected and serves to increase the concern of the international community who are monitoring the situation closely. For this reason, we welcome President Rajapakse's initiative for a national commission to inquire into recent killings, disappearances and abductions in Sri Lanka and a panel of international observers to oversee the process. We agree with the views expressed in September by the UN rapporteur on extra-judicial killing that such a process must be independent, credible and empowered to make a difference.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with the UN on whether a Chapter VIII intervention into Darfur would be possible.

Ian McCartney: We believe a UN peacekeeping force, with Chapter VII UN Charter powers, is best placed in the long-term to ensure resolution of the appalling Darfur conflict. We are, with international partners, pressing the Government of Sudan to accept such a force. We are therefore not currently considering a Chapter VIII Article 53 operation, whereby the Security Council could authorise enforcement action by a regional organisation such as the African Union and its Mission in Sudan (AMIS) force. But as Article 52 of Chapter VIII permits regional arrangements to undertake the peaceful settlement of disputes, AMIS already is a Chapter VIII operation, which we have strongly supported. It has and continues to play a vital role.

Sudan

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps she plans to take to prevent further conflict in Darfur after the expiration of the African Union's extended peacekeeping mandate.

Ian McCartney: A UN peacekeeping force, as foreseen in UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1706, is best placed to prevent further conflict in Darfur. We are working with our Partners at the UN to establish this force, including by engaging with the Government of Sudan to agree to its deployment.
	In the meantime we are urging the Government of Sudan and rebels to stop the fighting, and to commit to a political process to create a permanent end to conflict. The Government and the non-signatories to the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) must resume political dialogue to provide a peaceful resolution to this crisis. To this end my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development met President Bashir in Khartoum on 16 September to press Sudan to accept a UN force. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, raised Darfur with Foreign Ministers during the UN General Assembly, 18-22 September, to secure sustained pressure on Khartoum to comply with UNSCRs 1593 and 1706.
	The UK is also supporting the African Union to implement the DPA. We have seconded a team of communications experts to help them publicise the DPA's benefits to the people of Darfur, and we are doing this directly through the BBC World Service Trust's Darfur Lifeline Radio.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the potential for using a UN Chapter VIII to mandate the African Union deployment in Darfur.

Ian McCartney: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) today (UIN 94717).

UN Human Rights Council

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff are deployed to represent the UK at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva; and what reports of their activities are published.

Ian McCartney: The number of staff representing the UK at the UN Human Rights Council is determined for each session based on the session's agenda and workload. At the Council's second regular session, 19 September to 6 October, the UK delegation was led by the UK Permanent Representative in Geneva, supported by around 10 staff in Geneva over the course of the three week session.
	There is no formal, public report of the delegation's activities. However, the delegation's participation in the Council's open plenary meetings is of course public. We discuss our work before and during each session with non governmental organisations and others. The delegation's activities are also covered in other reporting mechanisms; for example the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's 2006 Annual Human Rights Report described some of the work done at the Council's first regular and two Special Sessions.

United Nations

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which candidate for the Latin American seat on the UN Security Council the UK supports; and what consultations she undertook before determining such support.

Kim Howells: It is long standing UK policy never to reveal voting intentions or decisions for UN Security Council elections. We are giving the candidatures of Guatemala and Venezuela full consideration. In forming a view, we are taking into account candidates' contributions to the work of the UN, particularly on issues of international peace and security.
	The UK places the greatest importance on the continued effectiveness of the Security Council and we hope that whoever is elected will contribute positively to its work.

Wine Directive

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has made in respect of the European Union wine directive.

Barry Gardiner: I have been asked to reply.
	The European Commission published its options paper "Towards a sustainable European wine sector" and an accompanying impact assessment on 22 June 2006. This is not a proposal, but a Commission Communication analysing the situation on the EU wine market and setting out various options for the reform of the current regime. Defra has undertaken a formal consultation on the Commission's Communication, which closed on 9 October 2006 (http://defraweb/corporate/consult/wine-reform/index. htm). We will be considering the responses received in order to inform a detailed UK negotiating position. But in the discussions to date, we have welcomed the Commission's Communication, which clearly sets out the case for reform and identifies a good range of options for discussion. We expect the Commission to present detailed legislative proposals early in 2007.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Catering Services

Oliver Heald: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many complaints were made about the Cabinet Office canteen service in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Patrick McFadden: During the period Sunday 1 January 2006 to Thursday 19 October 2006, four complaints were received about the Cabinet Office canteen service.

Civil Service Salaries

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the average salary is of  (a) a permanent secretary,  (b) a deputy permanent secretary,  (c) a permanent under-secretary,  (d) a senior executive officer and  (e) an executive officer in her Department.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 20 October 2006
	The salaries of permanent secretaries in the Cabinet Office are contained in the Annual Report on Senior Salaries, produced by the Senior Salaries Review Body. This was last published in March 2006 and is available in the Library for the reference of Members.
	The title of deputy permanent secretary is no longer used in the Cabinet Office. The average salary of director generals (equivalent to the old grade 2) in the Cabinet Office is £108,765. The title of permanent under-secretary is no longer used in the Cabinet Office either. The average salary of directors (equivalent to the old grade 3) in the Cabinet Office is £85,180.
	The Cabinet Office does not have a specific senior executive officer grade. The Cabinet Office combines higher executive officer and senior executive officer into one grade, called B2. The average salary of a B2 in the Cabinet Office is £28,648. The Cabinet Office does have an executive officer equivalent grade, called B1. The average salary for a B1 in the Cabinet Office is £22,938.

Civil Service Year Book

Oliver Heald: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when the next edition of the Civil Service Year Book will be published.

Edward Miliband: The next edition of the Civil Service Year Book (the 45th edition) is due to be published on Friday 15 December 2006.

Civil Service Year Book

Oliver Heald: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if she will state the month and year for which the 44th Civil Service Year Book provides a snapshot.

Edward Miliband: The 44th edition of the Civil Service Year Book was published on Monday 31 July 2006. The information for the edition was initially gathered from Government Departments up to the end of March 2006 but all departmental entries were updated following the completion of the Cabinet reshuffle in May 2006.

Council Tax

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 29 March 2006,  Official Report, column 1031W to my hon. Friend the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles), on council tax (official residences), whether the Cabinet Secretary has activated revised guidance to Ministers on their liability following the decision of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to occupy the flat above 10 Downing Street.

Hilary Armstrong: The Cabinet Secretary provided guidance to Her Majesty's Treasury following the decision of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to occupy the flat above 10 Downing Street.

Departmental Expenditure

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the total cost was of producing the Cabinet Office's Sharing the Leadership Challenge video.

Patrick McFadden: The Sharing the Leadership Challenge video was produced in February 2006 as a management tool for use across Government to enable senior officials and management in taking forward the efficiency agenda. The total cost of production including editing, associated fees and VAT was £18,385.03
	The Government have embarked upon a programme of wide scale change around shared services, and particularly around corporate shared services (HR, Finance, IT) as part of the transformational Government agenda.
	Experience from the private and public sectors demonstrates that these changes can only be made with significant leadership commitment. The DVD was designed to help senior management across Whitehall understand how they can enable this.

Departmental Redundancies

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many redundancies there were in her Department in each year since 1997; what the cost of such redundancies was in each year; how many temporary staff were employed in each year; and how many staff were seconded by outside organisations to posts within her Department in each year.

Patrick McFadden: The Department did not have any redundancies in 1997 or subsequent years. It follows the principles of the civil service Efficiency and Relocation Support Programme to minimise recourse to compulsory redundancies and facilitate a common approach to the redeployment of surplus staff across the civil service wherever possible. This includes managing downsizing through natural wastage, review of temporary staff, redeployment and voluntary departures.
	The Cabinet Office has utilised framework agreements with a number of recruitment agencies for the provision of temporary agency workers at administrative and secretarial levels. These temporary staff are hired by line managers contacting the agency directly. Departmental records are not structured in a way which allows numbers of agency staff used to be identified. Information on the number of staff seconded in to the Cabinet Office from both private and public sector organisations since 1997 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Total 
			 1997-98 2 
			 1998-99 6 
			 1999-2000 35 
			 2000-01 28 
			 2001-02 53 
			 2002-03 34 
			 2003-04 43 
			 2004-05 33 
			 2005-06 24 
			 2006-07 17

Deputy Prime Minister

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 4 September 2006,  Official Report, column 1720W, on the Deputy Prime Minister, how many civil servants from the Cabinet Office Parliamentary Branch provide support to the Deputy Prime Minister's Office; how many civil servants from the Infrastructure Division provide support to the Deputy Prime Minister and her Office; and how many civil servants from the Cabinet Office Communication Group are supporting the Deputy Prime Minister's website development.

Hilary Armstrong: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 4 September 2006,  Official Report, column 1720W. Civil servants from the Cabinet Office who provide support to the Deputy Prime Minister do so as part of their existing duties.

Ministerial Visits

Tim Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if she will list the places she visited during her recent visit to Scandinavia; who accompanied her; and what the cost was of her visit.

Hilary Armstrong: All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the "Ministerial Code" and "Travel by Ministers", copies of which are available in the Library for the reference of Members. All official travel is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the "Civil Service Management Code", a copy of which is also available in the Library for the reference of Members.
	I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 24 July 2006,  Official Report, column 86WS. Information for 2006-07 will be published as soon as possible after the end of the financial year.

Official Residences

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 25 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1637W, on official residences, whether the agency and specialist subcontractors providing maintenance to the Deputy Prime Minister's official residence includes cleaners.

Hilary Armstrong: No.

Official Residences

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 25 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1637W, on official residences, whether the Total Facilities Management service provided by Ecovert FM for the maintenance of Admiralty House includes  (a) linen and laundry,  (b) porters,  (c) internal plants and  (d) catering services.

Hilary Armstrong: The Total Facilities Management Contract includes all of the above items for the non-residential areas of Admiralty House only.

Official Residences

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which Ministers are occupying a flat in Admiralty House; and which Ministers have vacated a flat in Admiralty Arch since May 2006.

Hilary Armstrong: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to my hon. Friend the Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) on 12 June 2006,  Official Report, column 883W.
	Since then, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Margaret Beckett) and my right hon. Friend the Minister for Europe (Mr. Hoon) have vacated their residences in Admiralty House. My right hon. Friend the Lord Chancellor has been allocated one of the flats in Admiralty House. He will not take up residence but will use it for official entertaining and other engagements.

Rebranding

John Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if she will list the occasions since 1997  (a) Departments and  (b) agencies have been rebranded; and at what cost in each case.

Hilary Armstrong: Corporate branding is a matter for individual Departments. No central records are kept.

Regulatory Costs

John Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if she will publish the assessments of regulatory costs imposed by each Department contained in the recent Cabinet Office review.

Patrick McFadden: Departments will publish information from the Administrative Burdens Measurement Exercise in their Simplification Plans later this year. Plans will be placed in the Library for the reference of Members.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Consultants

Oliver Heald: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many external consultants work for his Department.

John Prescott: None.

Departmental Expenditure

David Davies: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much his Office has spent on taxis in the last 12 months.

John Prescott: For information relating to financial year 2005-06, I refer the hon. Member to the answer which will be given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman). Expenditure for this financial year will be accounted for in the department's annual report and accounts in the usual way.

Departmental Office Equipment

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many staff in his Office are provided with Blackberrys or similar mobile email equipment.

John Prescott: None.

Departmental Staff

Oliver Heald: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether his new office has a staff canteen.

John Prescott: Staff have access to the Cabinet Office canteen situated in 22 Whitehall.

Estimates

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he plans to table an estimate to vote funding for his new Department.

Oliver Heald: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) of 9 October 2006,  Official Report, column 72W, on his ministerial office and staff, when his Department will apply for a Parliamentary Vote to fund his Department; and what annual budget he will seek.

John Prescott: In due course.

Ministerial Facilities

John Hayes: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what  (a) sports and  (b) social facilities are part of accommodation provided to him out of public funds.

John Prescott: None.

Ministerial Facilities

Oliver Heald: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what works of art are on loan from the Government Art Collection to his  (a) office and  (b) official residence in Admiralty House.

John Prescott: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to the hon. Members for Hammersmith and Fulham (Mr. Hands) and for South Holland and The Deepings (Mr. Hayes) on 9 October 2006,  Official Report, columns 69W and 71W.

Ministerial Visits

Oliver Heald: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) of 9 October 2006,  Official Report, columns 73-74W, on ministerial visits, which hotel he stayed at during the MIPIM Property Development Conference.

John Prescott: All travel is undertaken in accordance with guidance laid down in the "Ministerial Code" and "Travel by Ministers".

Post Office

David Evennett: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had on the Post Office network.

John Prescott: I have regular meetings and discussions with ministerial colleagues, officials and others on a wide range of subjects. Information relating to internal meetings, discussion and advice is not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.

TREASURY

Alcohol-related Deaths

David Ruffley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many deaths in which alcohol was the primary cause there were in each local authority area in each of the last eight years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 23 October 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many deaths in which alcohol was the primary cause there were in each local authority area in each of the last eight years. I am replying in her absence. (95456)
	The attached table provides the number of deaths with an alcohol-related underlying cause in each local authority district in England and Wales, from 1998 to 2005 (the latest year available). A copy has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

Cancer/Heart Disease

Kitty Ussher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many deaths there were from  (a) cancer and  (b) heart disease in Burnley constituency in each year since 1997.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 23 October 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many deaths there were from (a) cancer and (b) heart disease in Burnley constituency in each year since 1997. (95718)
	The attached tables provide the numbers of deaths where (a) cancer and (b) heart disease was the underlying cause of death, for 1997 to 2005 (the latest year available), for the Burnley parliamentary constituency.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of deaths where cancer was the underlying cause of death( 1) , Burnley parliamentary constituency, 1997 to 2005 
			   Male  Female  Total 
			 1997 123 96 219 
			 1998 136 126 262 
			 1999 133 114 247 
			 2000 124 114 238 
			 2001 96 123 219 
			 2002 128 139 267 
			 2003 126 103 229 
			 2004 138 107 245 
			 2005 103 113 216 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 140-208 for the years 1997 to 2000, and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes COO-C97 for 2001 onwards. The introduction of ICD-10 in 2001 means that the numbers of deaths from this cause before 2001 are not completely comparable with later years. (2) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of deaths where heart disease was the underlying cause of death( 1) , Burnley parliamentary constituency, 1997 to 20052 
			   Male  Female  Total 
			 1997 149 146 295 
			 1998 143 104 247 
			 1999 105 127 232 
			 2000 117 95 212 
			 2001 108 95 203 
			 2002 110 91 201 
			 2003 116 82 198 
			 2004 110 91 201 
			 2005 91 96 187 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 410-414 for the years 1997 to 2000, and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes 120-125 for 2001 onwards. The introduction of ICD-10 in 2001 means that the numbers of deaths from this cause before 2001 are not completely comparable with later years. (2) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.

Carers

David Ruffley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many  (a) carers and  (b) young carers of school age there have been in (i) Suffolk and (ii) Bury St. Edmunds constituency in each year since 1997.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 23 October 2006:
	As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many (a) carers and (b) young carers of school age there are in (i) Suffolk and (ii) the parliamentary constituency of Bury St Edmunds in each year since 1997.(95457)
	With the exception of 2001 (Census year) data for 1997 to 2006 are not available on unpaid care.
	For 2001 data I refer you to the answer given in the official report number 473 of 10(th) October 2005 column 279.

Carers

Helen Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost of introducing a tax exemption for contributions towards a care voucher scheme for employees with caring responsibilities.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer the Economic Secretary gave her on 20 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1487W.

Churches (VAT Relief)

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of extending VAT relief to church buildings which are not listed but are within conservation areas;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the merits of extending VAT relief to church buildings which are not listed but are within conservation areas.

Dawn Primarolo: European agreements governing the application of VAT reliefs mean that while the Government can retain the existing VAT zero rates, such as those which apply to approved works of alteration to certain listed buildings, we cannot extend these or introduce any new zero rate reliefs. It is therefore not possible to introduce a zero rate for alteration or repair works carried out to unlisted church buildings.
	Outside the VAT system, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport operate VAT refund arrangements to return in grant aid the equivalent of the VAT incurred in making repairs to listed places of worship.
	Restricting VAT refund arrangements to listed buildings ensures that benefits are targeted on those places of worship that are formally recognised as having special architectural or historic interest. The refund arrangements remove any VAT costs associated with the repair, rather than alteration, of these buildings, and also recognise that their repair and maintenance generally requires specialist craftsmen and costly materials, the cost of which often fall on small congregations.
	HM Revenue and Customs is not able to estimate the cost of extending the VAT relief or VAT refund scheme to unlisted places of worship in conservation areas. This is because there are no central statistics on the number of unlisted church buildings, and no data on those located within conservation areas.

Climate Change

Tim Yeo: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will publish Sir Nicholas Stern's review of the Economics of Climate Change.

John Healey: An announcement of the publication date of the Review of the Economics of Climate Change, led by Sir Nicholas Stern, will be made shortly.

Corporation Tax

John Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what change in annual revenue he would expect from removing allowances other than prior losses against corporation tax and reducing the rate to 25 per cent.

Dawn Primarolo: Latest available estimates of the effect on tax receipts of changes in the rate of corporation tax can be found on the HMRC website at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_expenditures/1_6_ apr06.pdf, and available estimates of the impact of tax reliefs can be found at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_expenditures/1_5_apr06.pdf

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the letter to the Paymaster-General of 18 August 2006 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regards to Mr. and Mrs. Reid.

Dawn Primarolo: I have already done so, as I explained in my written answer of 17 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1099W to another question which my right hon. Friend tabled on this matter.

Death Rates (Bexley)

David Evennett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many deaths there were from  (a) cancer and  (b) heart disease in the London borough of Bexley in each year since 1997.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 23 October 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many deaths there were from  (a) cancer and  (b) heart disease in the London borough of Bexley in each year since 1997. I am replying in her absence. (96231)
	The attached tables provide the numbers of deaths where  (a) cancer and  (b) heart disease was the underlying cause of death, for 1997 to 2005 (the latest year available), for the London borough of Bexley.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of deaths where cancer was the underlying cause of death,( 1) London borough of Bexley, 1997 to 2005( 2) 
			   Male  Female  Total 
			 1997 291 287 578 
			 1998 317 293 610 
			 1999 279 282 561 
			 2000 268 291 559 
			 2001 312 253 565 
			 2002 293 258 551 
			 2003 271 275 546 
			 2004 264 247 511 
			 2005 276 250 526 
			 (1)Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 140-208 for the years 1997 to 2000, and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes C00-C97 for 2001 onwards. The introduction of ICD-10 in 2001 means that the numbers of deaths from this cause before 2001 are not completely comparable with later years. (2 )Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of deaths where heart disease was the underlying cause of death,( 1)  London borough of Bexley, 1997 to 2005( 2) 
			   Male  Female  Total 
			 1997 240 201 441 
			 1998 261 192 453 
			 1999 222 204 426 
			 2000 235 201 436 
			 2001 218 175 393 
			 2002 208 176 384 
			 2003 187 190 377 
			 2004 211 170 381 
			 2005 186 150 336 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 410-414 for the years 1997 to 2000, and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes 120-125 for 2001 onwards. The introduction of ICD-10 in 2001 means that the numbers of deaths from this cause before 2001 are not completely comparable with later years. (2 )Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.

Death Rates (Bexley)

David Evennett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average length of life is for  (a) men and  (b) women in the London borough of Bexley; and what it was in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2001 in each case.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 23 October 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the average length of life is for  (a) men and  (b) women in the London borough of Bexley, and what it was in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2001 in each case. (96233)
	Life expectancy figures are calculated as three year rolling averages. The attached table provides the period life expectancy at birth for  (a) men and  (b) women in the London borough of Bexley, in (i) 1996-98, (ii) 2000-02, and (iii) 2002-04 (the latest period available).
	
		
			  Table 1: Period life expectancy at birth( 1) , London borough of Bexley( 2) , 1996-98, 2000-02 and 2002-043 
			  Years of life 
			   Male  Female 
			  Year( 3)  Life expectancy  95 per cent. confidence interval( 4)  Life expectancy  95 per cent. confidence interval( 4) 
			 1996-98 75.9 75.4 76.3 80.4 80.0 80.8 
			 2000-02 77.0 76.6 77.5 81.2 80.8 81.6 
			 2002-04 77.6 77.2 78.1 81.5 81.1 81.9 
			 (1 )Period life expectancy at birth is an estimate of the average number of years a newborn baby would survive or she experienced the area's age-specific mortality rates for that time period throughout his or her life. The figure reflects mortality among those living in the area in each time period rather than mortality among those born in each area. It is not therefore the number of years a baby born in the area in each time period could actually expect to live, both because the death rates of the area are likely to change in the future and because many of those born in the area will live elsewhere for at least some part of their lives. (2 )Using local authority boundaries as of 2005 for all the years shown. (3) Three year rolling averages, based on deaths registered in each year and mid-year population. (4 )Confidence intervals are a measure of the statistical precision of an estimate and show the range of uncertainty around the estimated figure. Calculations based on small numbers of events are often subject to random fluctuations. As a general rule, if the confidence interval around one figure overlaps with the interval around another, we cannot say with certainty that there is more than a chance difference between the two figures.

Departmental Travel

David Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been spent by his Department on  (a) chartering aircraft and  (b) non-scheduled air travel in each of the last five years.

John Healey: In respect of overseas travel by Cabinet Ministers, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. Where non-scheduled aircraft are used this is shown in the list. Information for 2005-06 was published on 24 July 2006. Copies of the lists are available in the Library for the reference of Members. Equivalent detail about domestic travel could be provided only at disproportionate cost. All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the "Ministerial Code" and "Travel by Ministers", copies of which are available in the Library for the reference of Members. All official travel is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the "Civil Service Management Code", a copy of which is also available in the Library for the reference of Members.

Employment Rates

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of lone parents were in employment in each year since 1976; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 23 October 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the percentage of lone parents in employment. I am replying in her absence. (96119)
	The attached table gives the employment rates of lone parents from 1992, the earliest date for which information is available.
	Estimates are taken from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Employment rates of working-age( 1)  lone parents with dependent children( 2) : United Kingdom  Three months ending May, 1992 to 2006 
			  Percentage( 3) 
			   Lone parent employment rate 
			 1992 40.4 
			 1993 41.8 
			 1994 41.6 
			 1995 42.1 
			 1996 44.0 
			 1997 45.2 
			 1998 46.4 
			 1999 48.1 
			 2000 51.0 
			 2001 51.3 
			 2002 52.9 
			 2003 52.8 
			 2004 54.0 
			 2005 56.2 
			 2006 56.51 
			 (1 )Men aged 16 to 64 and women aged 16 to 59 (2 )Children under 16 and those aged 16 to 18 who are never-married and in full-time education. (3 )Base for percentages excludes people with unknown employment status.

Government Social Research Service

Mark Harper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost was of the Government Social Research Service in his Department in each of the last five years; how many projects have been completed by the Service in that period; and how many people are employed in the Service in his Department.

John Healey: The Government Social Research Service (GSR) has not been represented in HM Treasury in the last five financial years so there are no projects to report and no spend in that period.
	The Government Social Research Unit moved to the Treasury from the Cabinet Office in a machinery of government move in March 2006. There are 15 members of staff (14 FTE posts) within this unit.

Household Income

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the  (a) average wage was for (i) full-time male, (ii) full-time female, (iii) part-time male and (iv) part-time female employees and  (b) average household income was for working age households in the Gateshead council area in (A) cash and (B) constant price terms in each of the last 10 years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 23 October 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question what the (a) average wage for (i) full-time male, (ii) full-time female, (iii) part time male and (iv) part time female employees and (b) average household income for working age households was for working age households in the Gateshead Council area in (1) cash and (2) constant price terms in each of the last 10 years. I am replying in her absence. (96358).
	Currently average earnings are estimated from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) and are provided for employees on adult rates of pay whose pay was unaffected by absence during the pay period. This is the standard definition used for ASHE. The ASHE does not collect data on the self employed and people who do unpaid work.
	The ASHE carried out in April of each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. It is a one per cent sample of all employees who are members of pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) schemes, but because of its sampling frame, it has difficulty capturing data on people with very low pay. It is therefore likely to under-represent relatively low paid staff earning below the tax threshold.
	I attach tables containing statistics on earnings from the ASHE for the years 1997-2005. The second table shows these earnings statistics expressed in 2005 prices by uprating with the Retail Price Index (RPI).
	Average household income for working age households by council area is not available. Household income statistics for all households in the UK, based on the Family Resources Survey are produced by the Department of Work and Pensions. Additionally the Office for National Statistics has produced statistics for wards for 2001-02 only. These estimates are based on a statistical model and are experimental statistics—they have been developed in accordance with the principles set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice but are not accredited as National Statistics.
	
		
			  Gross weekly (cash £) pay for employee jobs( a)  by place of work 
			  Gateshead 
			   Median  Mean 
			   Full-time  Part-time  Full-time  Part-time 
			   Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female 
			 2005 *460 *312 x **117 511 380 **207 *140 
			 2004(b) *427 *297 x *114 492 349 **134 *132 
			 2004 *431 *295 x **115 500 349 **139 *134 
			 2003 *379 *287 x **120 435 327 **124 *134 
			 2002 372 *273 x **116 423 315 **146 *128 
			 2001 *376 *262 x **108 432 *308 **98 *120 
			 2000 *372 *250 **92 **98 414 290 **107 *120 
			 1999 *351 *240 x **98 396 287 **93 *114 
			 1998 *348 *235 x **88 399 *269 x *107 
			 1997 *336 *230 x *90 367 265 **137 *103 
		
	
	
		
			  Gross weekly (constant price £) pay for employee jobs( a)  by place of work 
			  Gateshead 
			   Median  Mean 
			   Full-time  Part-time  Full-time  Part-time 
			   Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female 
			 2005 *460 *312 x **117 511 380 **207 *140 
			 2004(b) *440 *306 x *117 507 359 **138 *136 
			 2004 *444 *304 x **118 515 359 **143 *138 
			 2003 *402 *304 x **127 461 347 **131 *142 
			 2002 405 *298 x **126 461 343 **159 *140 
			 2001 *417 *291 x **120 480 *342 **109 *133 
			 2000 *420 *283 **104 **111 468 328 **121 *136 
			 1999 *407 *278 x **114 459 333 **108 *132 
			 1998 *411 *277 x **104 471 *317 x *126 
			 1997 *413 *283 x *111 451 326 **169 *127 
			 a. Employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence. b. In 2004 additional supplementary surveys were introduced to improve the coverage of the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Figures are presented both excluding and including the additional surveys for comparison purposes.  Guide to quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of a figure, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an average of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent., we would expect the population average to be within the range 180 to 220.  Key: CV <= 5 per cent. * CV > 5 per cent. and <= 10 per cent. ** CV > 10 per cent. and <= 20 per cent. x CV > 20 per cent. The median replaces the mean as the headline statistic. The weighted mean is the sum of the weighted values divided by the sum of the weights. The median is the value below which 50 per cent. of employees fall. It is preferred over the mean for earnings data as it is influenced less by extreme values and because of the skewed distribution of earnings data.  Note: Constant price terms have been uprated using the Retail Prices Index (RPI), re-based at April 2005.  Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Office for National Statistics.

Household Income

David Drew: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the  (a) average wage for (i) full-time male, (ii) full-time female, (iii) part-time male and (iv) part-time female employees and  (b) average household income for working age households was in the Stroud District Council area in (A) cash and (B) constant price terms in each of the last 10 years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 23 October 2006
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the (a) average wage for (i) full-time male, (ii) full-time female, (iii) part time male and (iv) part time female employees and (b) average household income for working age households was in the Stroud District Council area in (A) cash and (B) constant price terms in each of the last 10 years. (95343).
	Currently average earnings are estimated from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), and are provided for employees on adult rates of pay whose pay was unaffected by absence during the pay period. This is the standard definition used for ASHE. The ASHE does not collect data on the self employed and people who do unpaid work.
	I have attached tables containing statistics on earnings from the ASHE for the years 1997-2005. The second table shows these earnings statistics expressed in 2005 prices by uprating with the Retail Price Index (RPI).
	Average household income for working age households by council area is not available. Household income statistics for all households in the UK, based on the Family Resources Survey, are produced by the Department of Work and Pensions. Additionally the Office for National Statistics has produced statistics for wards for 2001-02 only. These estimates are based on a statistical model and are experimental statistics—they have been developed in accordance with the principles set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice but are not accredited as National Statistics.
	The ASHE, carried out in April of each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. It is a one per cent sample of all employees who are members of pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) schemes, but because of its sampling frame, it has difficulty capturing data on people with very low pay. It is therefore likely to under-represent relatively low paid staff earning below the tax threshold.
	
		
			  Gross weekly (cash £) pay for employee jobs( a)  by place of work 
			   Median  Mean 
			  Stroud  Full time male  Full time female  Part time male  Part time female  Full time male  Full time female  Part time male  Part time female 
			 2005 (1)475 (2)316 (3)— (2)110 (1)523 (1)404 (2)162 (1)137 
			 2004(b) (1)441 (2)337 (3)— (3)— (1)482 (1)403 (3)— (2)151 
			 2004 (1)439 (2)342 (3)— (3)— (1)494 (1)399 (3)— (1)150 
			 2003 (1)428 (2)346 (3)— (3)— 477 (1)376 (3)— (1)140 
			 2004 (1)424 (2)278 (3)— (2)114 (1)493 (1)337 (3)— (2)136 
			 2001 (1)416 (2)281 (2)142 (3)— (1)493 (1)326 (3)— (2)160 
			 2000 (1)407 (2)260 (3)— (2)109 (1)451 (1)279 (2)126 (2)135 
			 1999 (1)361 (2)248 (3)— (2)115 405 (1)282 (3)— (2)151 
			 1998 (1)379 (2)235 (3)— (3)— 420 (1)267 (3)— (2)141 
			 1997 (1)363 (2)221 (3)— (2)102 391 (1)249 (3)— (1)101 
		
	
	
		
			  Gross weekly (constant price £ ) pay for employee jobs( a,c)  by place of work 
			  Stroud  Median  Mean 
			   Full time male  Full time female  Part time male  Part time female  Full time male  Full time female  Part time male  Part time female 
			 2005 (1)475 (2)316 (3)— (2)110 (1)523 (1)404 (2)162 (1)137 
			 2004(b) (1)454 (2)347 (3)— (3)— (1)496 (1)415 (3)— (2)156 
			 2004 (1)452 (2)352 (3)— (3)— (1)509 (1)411 (3)— (1)155 
			 2003 (1)454 (2)367 (3)— (3)— 506 (1)399 (3)— (1)148 
			 2002 (1)462 (2)303 (3)— (2)124 (1)537 (1)367 (3)— (2)148 
			 2001 (1)462 (2)312 (2)158 (3)— (1)547 (1)362 (3)— (2)178 
			 2000 (1)460 (2)294 (3)— (2)123 (1)510 (1)315 (2)142 (2)153 
			 1999 (1)419 (2)288 (3)— (2)133 470 (1)327 (3)— (2)175 
			 1998 (1)447 (2)277 (3)— (3)— 496 (1)315 (3)— (2)166 
			 1997 (1)446 (2)272 (3)— (2)125 481 (1)306 (3)— (1)124 
			  Note: The median replaces the mean as the headline statistic. The weighted mean is the sum of the weighted values divided by the sum of the weights. The median is the value below which 50 per cent of employees fall. It is preferred over the mean for earnings data as it is influenced less by extreme values and because of the skewed distribution of earnings (a) Employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence. (b) In 2004 additional supplementary surveys were introduced to improve the coverage of the annual survey of hours and earnings. Figures are presented both excluding and including the additional surveys for comparison purposes. (c) Constant price terms have been uprated using the Retail Prices Index (RPI), re-based at April 2005. Guide to quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of a figure, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an average of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent., we would expect the population average to be within the range 180 to 220. Key: CV<=5% (1 )CV>5%and<=10% (2) CV>10%and<=20% (3) CV>20%  Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Office for National Statistics

Labour Statistics

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were  (a) employed (i) full-time and (ii) part-time and  (b) unemployed in (A) the Stroud District Council area, (B) Gloucestershire and  (c) the UK (1) at the latest date for which figures are available and (2) at the same date in each of the previous 10 years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 23 October 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about employment and unemployment. (95344)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of employment for local areas from the annual local area Labour Force Survey (LFS) and the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions. For unitary and local authorities, the ONS produces estimates of total unemployment from a statistical model. For all other estimates of unemployment for local areas, ONS compiles statistics from the annual local area LFS and the APS following ILO definitions.
	Table 1 shows the number of people in employment, by full-time and part-time status, for people resident in the Stroud District Council area for the 12 months ending in February from 1996 to 2004 from the annual local area LFS and for the 12 month periods ending in March from 2005 to 2006 from the APS. Unemployment levels and rates are from a statistical model.
	Table 2 shows corresponding data for the administrative county of Gloucestershire and Table 3 shows data for the United Kingdom from the annual local area LFS and the APS.
	These estimates, as with any from sample surveys, are subject to a margin of uncertainty. Changes in the estimates from year to year should be treated with particular caution.
	ONS also compiles statistics for local areas of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (ISA). Table 4 shows the number of claimants of JSA resident in the Stroud District Council area, the administrative county of Gloucestershire and the United Kingdom for each September from 1996 to 2006 and as a proportion of the resident working age population.
	
		
			  Table 1: Employment, by full-time and part-time status, and unemployment; Stroud 
			   Employment (16+) (000)   Unemployment (16+) 
			  12 months ending  Total ( 2)  Full-time  Part-time  Working age Employment rate (%)  Total (000)  Rate (%) 
			 February 1996 53 39 14 79 n/a n/a 
			 February 1997 55 40 15 80 2 4 
			 February 1998 51 36 15 81 2 4 
			 February 1999 51 38 13 82 2 3 
			 February 2000 54 38 16 82 2 3 
			 February 2001 56 39 18 84 2 3 
			 February 2002 54 36 18 82 2 4 
			 February 2003 54 37 17 80 2 3 
			 February 2004 55 39 17 84 2 3 
			 March 2005 54 38 16 79 n/a n/a 
			 March 2006 52 34 18 77 n/a n/a 
			 n/a—not available (1) Model-based (2) Includes people who did not state whether they worked full-time or part-time.  Note:  Estimates are subject to sampling variability. Changes in the estimates from year to year should be treated with particular caution  Source:  Annual local area Labour Force Survey: Annual Population Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Employment, by full-time and part-time status, and unemployment; Gloucestershire. 
			   Employment (16+) (000)   Unemployment (16+) 
			  12 months ending  Total ( 1)  Full-time  Part-time  Working age Employment rate (%)  Total (000)  Rate (%) 
			 February 1996 275 198 77 78 21 5 
			 February 1997 270 195 75 80 14 3 
			 February 1998 272 191 81 78 16 4 
			 February 1999 275 199 76 79 10 2 
			 February 2000 284 203 81 80 8 3 
			 February 2001 288 205 83 81 13 4 
			 February 2002 284 202 82 81 11 4 
			 February 2003 279 195 84 79 11 4 
			 February 2004 277 196 80 78 12 4 
			 March 2005 283 203 79 79 10 4 
			 March 2006 284 204 79 80 11 4 
			 (1 )Includes people who did not state whether they worked full-time or part-time.  Note:  Estimates are subject to sampling variability. Changes in the estimates from year to year should be treated with particular caution  Source:  Annual local area Labour Force Survey: Annual Population Survey. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Employment, by full-time and part-time status, and unemployment; United Kingdom 
			   Employment (16+) (000)   Unemployment (16+) 
			  12 months ending  Total ( 1)  Full-time  Part-time  Working age Employment rate (%)  Total (000)  Rate (%) 
			 February 1996 25,721 19,409 6,270 71 2,400 9 
			 February 1997 26,011 19,482 6,520 72 2,207 8 
			 February 1998 26,357 19,752 6,594 73 1,911 7 
			 February 1999 26,659 19,996 6,655 73 1,730 6 
			 February 2000 26,908 20,142 6,758 74 1,689 6 
			 February 2001 27,180 20,283 6,887 74 1,518 5 
			 February 2002 27,433 20,508 6,915 74 1,450 5 
			 February 2003 27,566 20,484 7,067 74 1,494 5 
			 February 2004 27,789 20,538 7,237 74 1,444 5 
			 March 2005 28,039 20,836 7,184 74 1,381 5 
			 March 2006 28,117 20,900 7,203 74 1,483 5 
			 (1) Includes people who did not state whether they worked full-time or part-time  Note:  Estimates are subject to sampling variability  Source:  Annual local area Labour Force Survey: Annual Population Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 4: Claimants of jobseeker's allowance; Stroud district council, Gloucestershire and the United Kingdom  September 1996 to September 2006 
			   Stroud district council  Gloucestershire  United Kingdom 
			  September  Level  Proportion (%)( 1)  Level  Proportion (%)( 1)  Level  Proportion (%)( 1) 
			 1996 2,451 4 14,081 4 2,103,721 6 
			 1997 1,629 3 9,541 3 1,513,537 4 
			 1998 1,262 2 8,079 2 1,334,273 4 
			 1999 1,263 2 7,493 2 1,223,954 3 
			 2000 1,081 2 6,756 2 1,042,804 3 
			 2001 1,002 2 5,918 2 940,373 3 
			 2002 938 2 6,179 2 936,214 3 
			 2003 1,000 2 5,962 2 922,136 3 
			 2004 849 1 5,044 2 827,833 2 
			 2005 855 1 5,343 2 871,532 2 
			 2006 898 1 6,013 2 952,909 3 
			 (1) Percentage of resident working age population. Mid-2004 population estimates used for September 2005 and September 2006 proportions  Source:  Jobcentre Plus administrative systems

Life Expectancy

Kitty Ussher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the life expectancy is in Burnley constituency for  (a) men and  (b) women; and what it was in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2001.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 23 October 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what life expectancy is in Burnley constituency for (a) men and (b) women, and what it was in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2001. (95707)
	Life expectancy figures are published for local authorities rather than parliamentary constituencies, and are calculated as three year rolling averages. The attached table provides the period life expectancy at birth for (a) men and (b) women in Burnley local authority district, in (i) 1996-98, (ii) 2000-02, and (iii) 2002-04 (the latest period available).
	
		
			  Table 1: Period life expectancy at birth( 1) , Burnley local authority district( 2) , 1996-98, 2001-02 and 2002-04( 3) 
			  Years of life 
			   Male  Female 
			  Year( 3)  Life expectancy  95 per cent. confidence interval( 4)  Life expectancy  95 per cent. confidence interval( 4) 
			 1996-98 72.0 (71.3-72.7) 77.7 (77.0-78.4) 
			 2000-02 74.4 (73.7-75.2) 78.6 (77.9-79.3) 
			 2002-04 74.1 (73.4-74.8) 78.2 (77.4-78.9) 
			 (1) Period life expectancy at birth is an estimate of the average number of years a newborn baby would survive if he or she experienced the area's age-specific mortality rates for that time period throughout his or her life. The figure reflects mortality among those living in the area in each time period, rather than mortality among those born in each area. It is not therefore the number of years a baby born in the area in each time period could actually expect to live, both because the death rates of the area are likely to change in the future and because many of those born in the area will live elsewhere for at least some part of their lives. (2) Using local authority boundaries as of 2005 for all the years shown. (3) Three year rolling averages, based on deaths registered in each year and mid-year population estimates. (4) Confidence intervals are a measure of the statistical precision of an estimate and show the range of uncertainty around the estimated figure. Calculations based on small numbers of events are often subject to random fluctuations. As a general rule, if the confidence interval around one figure overlaps with the interval around another, we cannot say with certainty that there is more than a chance difference between the two figures.

Life Expectancy

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what average life expectancy is in Chorley constituency; and what it was in  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2001.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 23 October 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what average life expectancy is in Chorley constituency; and what it was in (a) 1997 and (b) 2001. (96348)
	Life expectancy figures are published for local authorities rather than parliamentary constituencies, and are calculated as three year rolling averages. The attached table provides the period life expectancy at birth for men and women in Chorley local authority district, in (a) 1996-98, (b) 2000-02, and (c) 2002-04 (the latest period available).
	
		
			  Table 1: Period life expectancy at birth( 1) , Chorley local authority district( 2) ,1996-98, 2000-02 and 2002-04( 3) 
			  Years of life 
			   Male  Female 
			  Year( 3)  Life expectancy  95 per cent. confidence interval( 4)  Life expectancy  95 per cent. confidence interval( 4) 
			 1996-98 74.1 (73.4—74.8) 79.1 (78.4—79.7) 
			 2000-02 75.6 (75.0—76.3) 79.5 (78.9—80.2) 
			 2002-04 76.1 (75.5—76.7) 80.0 (79.4—80.6) 
			 (1) Period life expectancy at birth is an estimate of the average number of years a newborn baby would survive if he or she experienced the area's age-specific mortality rates for that time period throughout his or her life. The figure reflects mortality among those living in the area in each time period, rather than mortality among those born in each area. It is not therefore the number of years a baby born in the area in each time period could actually expect to live, both because the death rates of the area are likely to change in the future and because many of those born in the area will live elsewhere for at least some part of their lives. (2) Using local authority boundaries as of 2005 for all the years shown. (3) Three year rolling averages, based on deaths registered in each year and mid-year population estimates. (4) Confidence intervals are a measure of the statistical precision of an estimate and show the range of uncertainty around the estimated figure. Calculations based on small numbers of events are often subject to random fluctuations. As a general rule, if the confidence interval around one figure overlaps with the interval around another, we cannot say with certainty that there is more than a chance difference between the two figures.

North Sea Revenues

Alex Salmond: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the projections are for North Sea revenues as in table C9 of Budget 2006 in  (a) cash and  (b) real terms for each year given in the table.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Dundee East (Stewart Hosie) on 12 October 2006,  Official Report, column 877W.

Parliamentary Questions

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many draft answers to parliamentary questions tabled by the hon. Member for Yeovil for answer by the Chancellor of the Exchequer have been  (a) approved and  (b) amended by the Chairman of HM Revenue and Customs since January 2006; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 16 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1070W.

Population Statistics

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the population of  (a) England,  (b) Surrey,  (c) Reigate constituency and  (d) the borough of Reigate and Banstead is aged over 65 years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 23 October 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your question about the percentage of the population of (a) England, (b) Surrey, (c) Reigate constituency and (d) Borough of Reigate and Banstead that is aged over 65 years. I am replying in her absence. (96329)
	The latest available population estimates for England, Surrey and the Borough of Reigate and Banstead are the mid-2005 population estimates. These estimates are shown below in table 1, along with the estimated number and percentage of the population aged 65 years and over. Population estimates are not produced for parliamentary constituencies. For this reason, the latest data available for Reigate constituency are from the 2001 Census. These data are given below in table 2.
	
		
			  Table 1: Total population and percentage of population of those aged 65 and over  Mid-2005 population estimate 
			  Local Authority  Total population  Population aged 65+  Percentage population aged 65+ 
			 England 50,431 8,058,100 16.0 
			 Surrey 1,075,500 176,900 16.4 
			 Borough of Reigate and Banstead 127,200 20,700 16.3 
			  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.  Source:   Office for National Statistics 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Total population and percentage of population of those aged 65 and over, based on the 2001 Census 
			  Parliamentary constituency  Total population  Population aged 65+  Percentage population aged 65+ 
			 Reigate constituency 87,665 14,569 16.6 
			  Note: The data have been taken from KS02 in the Census 2001 Report for Parliamentary Constituencies which is available in the House of Commons Library.  Source: Office for National Statistics.

Post Office Card Accounts

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credit claims in Wales are paid by HM Revenue and Customs into Post Office Card Accounts; and how many of these account holders are also receiving other benefits.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available.

Start-up Businesses

Natascha Engel: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what advice and assistance is available to small start-up businesses offering services and supplies to public bodies; and what steps he has taken to ensure that such businesses can access the same information and competitions as large, well-established preferred bidders.

Margaret Hodge: I have been asked to reply.
	We recognise the importance of removing barriers faced by small businesses accessing public sector contract opportunities. Our measures to ensure small businesses are on an equal footing include the new Supply2.gov.uk web portal, which aims to bring buyers and sellers together; regional training events; a guide for small businesses on how to tender; and the local authority concordat aimed at ensuring purchasing policies are small business friendly. These and other measures, are expected to lead to greater opportunities for small firms and a more competitive environment, for the benefit of SMEs and the economy.

Tax Credits

Don Touhig: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what procedures are in place to deal with general inquiries in circumstances where the IT system for processing working family tax credits becomes inoperative.

Dawn Primarolo: Working families tax credit was replaced by child tax credit and working tax credit in 2003.
	Where systems supporting these two new tax credits become unavailable, e.g. due to such planned events as system upgrades, then advisers are still able to provide answers to general inquiries. In some instances HMRC can still record details of reported changes. If that is not possible, callers are advised to call back when HMRC expects its systems to be available.
	Callers may also be directed to the HMRC website which contains extensive information and guidance.

Tax Credits

Nick Harvey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of the recently announced operational bonus for service personnel on tax credits.

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the bonus recently announced for service personnel on combat duty will be treated for tax credit purposes.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answers 19 October 2006
	We intend to amend the tax credit regulations so that the operational bonus is disregarded for tax credit awards.

Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many service personnel are claiming tax credits.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 19 October 2006
	The information requested is not available.

Tax Credits

Peter Viggers: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the incidence of tax credit fraud was in the last period for which figures are available; what the total amount involved was in that period; and what assessment he has made of how successful the relevant authorities have been in eliminating it.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made to the House on 11 July 2006,  Official Report columns. 1281-82, and to the HMRC publications "Child and Working Tax Credits: Error and fraud statistics 2003-04" and "Tackling error and fraud in the Child and Working Tax Credits" available on the HMRC website at www.hmrc.gov.uk/news/index.htm.

Tax Credits

Stephen Byers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the savings which would be made if tax credits were not available to higher rate taxpayers.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 20 October 2006
	The estimated annual saving, in 2006-07, of removing entitlement to tax credits for those families with at least one higher rate taxpayer is £0.1 billion.
	This estimate excludes any behavioural response to the change. It was calculated using the Department's tax and benefit model.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff at the Tax Credit Office received bonus payments in each month between December 2005 and September 2006; what the total amount of bonuses paid has been; what the largest single payment was; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The director of the Tax Credit Office has the discretion to award special bonuses to recognise exceptional performance. The dates and number of payments made are:
	
		
			  Staff in receipt of bonuses 
			   Number 
			 December 2005 47 
			 January 2006 0 
			 February 2006 0 
			 March 2006 224 
			 April 2006 0 
			 May 2006 0 
			 June 2006 12 
			 July 2006 6 
			 August 2006 3 
			 September 2006 1 
		
	
	The total amount paid to TCO staff between December 2005 and September 2006 was £60,948.50. The total number of awards made in this period was 293 and the average payment was around £200.
	The largest single payment was for £1,000.

Tobacco Counterfeits

Colin Breed: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  when his Department will reach a decision on the introduction of an anti-counterfeiting scheme for tobacco products in the UK;
	(2)  what technological solutions he has examined for the purpose of tackling the trade in counterfeit and smuggled tobacco.

John Healey: HM Revenue and Customs have been working closely with the tobacco manufacturing industry to examine a range of practical measures that could be implemented to tackle counterfeit tobacco products, such as covert pack markings.
	However, this is a complex area and the options need careful consideration before any decisions can be taken.

Tobacco Counterfeits

Colin Breed: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has discussed with the Secretary of State for Health the potential implications of the proposed change in minimum age for the sale of tobacco for the smuggled tobacco trade.

John Healey: Ministers and officials from HMRC and the Treasury have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.
	HM Revenue and Customs take a tough approach to tobacco smuggling and at Budget 2006 published "New responses to new challenges: Reinforcing the Tackling Tobacco Strategy". This includes a range of measures designed to tackle illicit activity through targeted action at all points along the supply chain— from overseas production and sourcing of tobacco products to UK distribution networks.

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 25 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1397W, on the Valuation Office Agency, what factors he took into account when deciding that placing the documents in the Library was not appropriate.

Dawn Primarolo: As mentioned in my answer of 25 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1397W, these documents, the Valuation Office Agency's (VGA's) (a) photography best practice guide and (b) COVO manual, mentioned in clause 3.7.1 of section 2 of the VGA's Council Tax Manual, are merely internal technical guides.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Adoption Placements

Annette Brooke: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the answer of 24 July 2006,  Official Report, column 932W, on adoption placements, how many placement applications for adoption were determined at the final care hearing; and how many are determined at a later date  (a) in London,  (b) at the Principal Registry of the Family Division and  (c) nationally in each of the last 12 years.

Harriet Harman: The information requested is not collected and to obtain it would incur disproportionate costs.

Clinical Negligence

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will ensure that the hourly rates allowed for claimants by the Legal Services Commission for experts in clinical negligence are the same as the NHS Litigation Authority's payment regime for experts when defending clinical negligence claims; and if she will make a statement.

Vera Baird: The rates offered by the LSC are not dependent on the rates offered by the NHS Litigation Authority, but are set in reference to best value to the legal aid fund.

Court Translators

Ian Lucas: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much was spent on court translators' fees in each of the last five years.

Harriet Harman: The information requested is not collected centrally (and could be provided only at disproportionate cost) for interpreters used in the Crown court and criminal hearings in the magistrates courts. In each of the last five years the costs of interpreters for civil and family hearings are as follows:
	
		
			   Amount (£000) 
			 2002-03 181 
			 2003-04 204 
			 2004-05 250 
			 2005-06 494 
			 2006-07 (1)208 
			 (1 )As at end September. 
		
	
	Changes to the financial systems used to pay interpreters have taken effect in the last couple of years and the figures quoted are therefore approximate. HMCS is currently undertaking some analysis of interpreters booked in the last year to try to identify trends in the increase of bookings and subsequent cost.

Data Protection

John Redwood: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the benefits which have resulted from the introduction of the Data Protection Act 1998.

Vera Baird: As with all legislation the Government keep the workings of the Data Protection Act under review. The results of the 2006 Information Commissioners Office Annual Tracker Survey of private and public organisations show that 89 per cent. agreed that the Act was needed. In addition to this, 80 per cent. of private organisations agreed that it improved information management, 81 per cent. agreed it improved customer trust and 60 per cent. agreed it adds value to the business. The Act is an important piece of legislation that ensures there is a proper legal framework to protect the way that personal data are processed. Individuals also benefit as the Act allows subject access rights in relation to personal data that are is held about them.

Family Law Cases

Ian Lucas: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much has been paid in disbursements in family law cases by the Legal Services Commission in each of the last five years.

Vera Baird: The amounts paid in disbursements by the Legal Services Commission in each of the last five years was:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2005-06 56.8 
			 2004-05 47.6 
			 2003-04 44.9 
			 2002-03 39.2 
			 2001-02 35.7

Freedom of Information

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the Leader of the House's answer of 16 October 2006,  Official Report, column 582, on Parliamentary Questions, how many requests were made to each Department by hon. Members for information sought using the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in the last 12 months.

Vera Baird: The Freedom of Information Act requires each case to be assessed on its individual merits and so Departments do not collect information on requestor type, including Members of Parliament. The quarterly statistical reports published by my Department contain information on the implementation of FoI in central Government, including the number of requests received, the timeliness of responses, and the outcomes of requests.
	However, it is estimated from information obtained during the Government's recent review of the Freedom of Information Act that between 300 and 400 requests are made to central Government by Members of Parliament each year.

Freedom of Information

Eric Pickles: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs when the Government plan to introduce legislation to amend the Freedom of Information Act 2000 provisions on calculating fees limits and aggregating requests.

Vera Baird: There are no plans to amend the Freedom of Information Act. However the Government are considering changes to the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004 to extend the activities which count towards the appropriate limit and to amend the circumstances in which public authorities may aggregate requests for the purposes of calculating the appropriate limit.
	The Government will take stock of the responses to the report of the independent review on the impact of the Act, published on 16 October 2006, before bringing forward any secondary legislation.

Freedom of Information

Eric Pickles: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether the Government's proposals to amend the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to allow public authorities to aggregate requests will allow authorities to aggregate requests from the same organisation but on substantively different topics.

Vera Baird: There are no plans to amend the Freedom of Information Act. However the Government are considering changes to the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004 to allow public authorities to aggregate requests from the same organisation on different topics.

Iraq

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will make it her policy that inquests into the deaths of soldiers in Iraq be undertaken by the coroner whose area of jurisdiction covers the home address of the soldier in question.

Harriet Harman: The law and guidance relevant to deaths abroad is set out as follows.
	In accordance with section 8 of the Coroners Act 1988 a coroner must hold an inquest when it is reported to him that the body of a deceased person is lying in his district and the death was violent, unnatural or sudden or of unknown cause. In 1983 the Appeal Court ruled in the case of R.  v. West Yorkshire Coroner ex parte Smith that this duty applied (in respect of the legislation then extant and which remains unchanged) even in cases where both the death and its cause occurred outside England and Wales and was not discretionary. Under section 14 of the 1988 Act the coroner who has the body may request another coroner to hold the inquest if it is expedient to do so.
	In 1983 the Home Office (then responsible for coroners' law) issued a circular to all coroners drawing their attention to the Smith judgment and advising that, in cases involving a single death from outside England and Wales, the coroner local to where the funeral is to be held should normally deal with the inquest. It is for the coroner for the district where the body first arrived from abroad to make the decision whether to ask the local coroner to take the case in accordance with section 14 of the 1988 Act. The circular also advised that, where more than one death occurred abroad in the same incident, the coroner for the district where the bodies first arrived should retain jurisdiction.

Law Society (Children's Panel)

John Mann: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many solicitors there are on the Law Society's Children's Panel, broken down by age.

Bridget Prentice: holding answer 19 October 2006
	The Law Society's Children Panel is maintained by the Law Society and is independent of Government. All panel members are solicitors. The panel provided the following information:
	
		
			  Panel members 
			  Number 
			  Age profile  Children Representatives  Adult Party Representatives  Local Authority Representatives 
			 Up to 30 9 0 1 
			 31 to 40 398 52 91 
			 41 to 50 621 61 93 
			 51 to 60 484 77 47 
			 60 plus 57 11 4 
			 Unknown 12 2 4 
			 Total 1,581 203 240

Law Society (Children's Panel)

John Mann: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs 
	(1)  how many solicitors left the Law Society's Children's Panel in each of the last three years;
	(2)  how many solicitors joined the Law Society's Children's Panel in each of the last three years.

Bridget Prentice: The Law Society's Children Panel is maintained by the Law Society and is independent of Government. All panel members are solicitors. The panel provided the following information:
	
		
			  Number 
			   Members that left the panel  New members to the panel 
			  2004   
			 Children Representatives 125 82 
			 Adult Party Representatives 14 33 
			 Local Authority Representatives 10 38 
			
			  2005   
			 Children Representatives 140 66 
			 Adult Party Representatives 30 9 
			 Local Authority Representatives 23 23 
			
			  2006   
			 Children Representatives 12 74 
			 Adult Party Representatives 9 3 
			 Local Authority Representatives 4 16

Legal Aid

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect on the number of delayed and ineffective trials in magistrates courts of the implementation of the new means test for legal aid; and if she will make a statement.

Vera Baird: The new means test was only introduced in magistrates courts on 2 October 2006. It is too early to draw firm conclusions about its overall impact. Delays and ineffective hearings have been reported in some areas, particularly where solicitors are operating protocols. In other areas, the new scheme is starting to work effectively, as practitioners and others adjust to the new scheme. The Government will continue to monitor implementation closely, and will keep the working of the scheme under active review.

Legal Aid

John Baron: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the  (a) nationality,  (b) residence and  (c) citizenship criteria are for (i) access to and (ii) eligibility for civil legal aid.

Vera Baird: There is no residence, nationality or citizenship qualification for receiving civil legal aid funding. Funding is available to anyone who qualifies, provided the applicant is using the courts of England and Wales and the case is within the scope of the scheme. Each application for funding is treated on an individual basis and is subject only to the statutory tests of the means of the applicant and the merits of their case.

Magistrates

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many and what proportion of magistrates in London, appointed since 1996, lived in the top 10 per cent. of the most deprived wards at the time of their appointment; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many and what proportion of magistrates in the Teesside area appointed since 1997 lived in the top 10 per cent. of deprived wards at the time of their appointment.

Harriet Harman: This Department does not record details showing how many and what proportion of magistrates lived in deprived wards at the time of their appointment. Advisory Committees on Justices of the Peace follow the Secretary of State and Lord Chancellor's Directions when making recommendations for appointment to the magistracy. This provides guidance that each Local Justice Area should broadly reflect the community it serves in terms of gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, geographical spread, occupation, and industry.

Mediation Week 2006

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what events took place in Mediation Week 2006 sponsored by her Department; and what the outcomes were of the project.

Vera Baird: Around 100 publicity events took place across the country during Mediation Week, including:
	displays and stands in local shopping centres;
	helpdesks at courts providing information on mediation;
	open days at court centres giving the public the opportunity to meet a qualified mediator;
	seminars about mediation for the legal profession and local advice sector;
	"mock" mediation role plays to illustrate the process.
	The initial feedback from the organisers of these events is that the week has been a success. A full evaluation will be carried out over the next few months, and used to inform the plans for next year.

Ministerial Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs on how many occasions she has visited  (a) Wales and  (b) Northern Ireland in the last 12 months.

Harriet Harman: During the last 12 months I have visited Wales once and have not visited Northern Ireland. All ministerial visits are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers.

Oxfordshire Inquests

Roger Gale: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to her statement of 12 October 2006,  Official Report, column 26WS, on Oxfordshire inquests, what the projected time scale is for conducting the outstanding inquests; and if she will make further provision to deal with future cases arising from armed forces and civilian deaths in conflict.

Harriet Harman: It is expected that all inquests into deaths which occurred before 16 May 2006 and where the Ministry of Defence has completed its inquiries and case papers have been prepared will be either heard or listed before the end of this year. Inquests into deaths which occurred on or after 16 May will be heard as soon as possible. Discussions on the future arrangements for such cases are ongoing between officials in the Ministry of Defence, the coroner and this Department.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much was spent on the Judges Pension Scheme in each year since 1980-81; what forecasts she has made of how much will be spent in each year between 2007-08 and 2050-51; and how many members of the scheme there are.

Harriet Harman: My Department has had financial and accounting responsibility for the Judicial Pension Schemes since 1 April 2003. Financial information on the schemes was not accounted for separately prior to that date.
	Information about scheme cost and membership (active and retired members) is included in the Scheme Resource Accounts which have been published for the years 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06, and laid in the Library of the House.
	The Accounts include the Report of the Scheme Actuary prepared by the Government Actuary's Department, which details the scheme liability, and the capitalised value as at 31 March of each year of expected benefit entitlements under the scheme for benefits accrued in respect of service (or former service) prior to 31 March. The Report of the Scheme Actuary also sets out the methodology used in calculating that liability and the principal financial assumptions used, including the discount rate.

Sarah-Jayne Mulvihill

Roger Gale: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs when she expects the inquest into the death of Flight Lieutenant Sarah-Jayne Mulvihill will be  (a) allocated to a named coroner and  (b) heard.

Harriet Harman: I understand that the inquest into the death of Flight Lieutenant Mulvihill and her colleagues has been allocated to assistant deputy coroner Andrew Walker. A date for the resumption of the inquest will be fixed when the Board of Inquiry report has been completed.

Small Claims

Louise Ellman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs when she expects to publish the consultation paper on the small claims personal injury limit.

Vera Baird: We intend to publish a consultation paper on improving the claims process, including consideration of the case track limits, by the end of the year.

Social Research Service

Mark Harper: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the cost was of the Government Social Research Service in her Department in each of the last five years; how many projects have been completed by the service in that period; and how many people are employed in the service in her Department.

Vera Baird: All Government Social Researchers in DCA are located within the departmental research unit. Within this unit there are both specialist researchers and support staff. There are currently eight Government Social Researchers employed in DCA. The following list details departmental research unit spend for the last five financial years:
	
		
			  Total research spend by financial year (including paybill and running costs) 
			   Amount (£) 
			 2005-06 854,767 
			 2004-05 944,747 
			 2003-04(1) 1,091,037 
			 2002-03 837,804 
			 2001-02 568,981 
			 (1) Please note DCA was created in June 2003. Earlier figures relate to the Lord Chancellor's Department. 
		
	
	The total spend by the Government Social Research service (GSR) in DCA does not necessarily equate to the total spend by DCA on social research, as research may be commissioned by others as part of wider projects. Records show a total of about 50 completed projects in that period funded by the service.

Welsh Language

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether her Department has adopted a Welsh language policy.

Vera Baird: In accordance with the Welsh Language Act 1993, the Department for Constitutional Affairs has prepared a Welsh language policy, which will be put out to public consultation once it has been cleared by the Welsh Language Board. It will be formally adopted, with any necessary changes, after consultation has been completed.
	In the period before the Welsh language policy is formally adopted, the Department, in the conduct of its public business in Wales, applies the principle that the English and Welsh languages should be treated on a basis of equality so far as is appropriate in the circumstances and is reasonably practicable.
	Her Majesty's Courts Service is the largest executive agency of the Department for Constitutional Affairs and is responsible for managing the courts in England and Wales. Her Majesty's Courts Service has adopted its own Welsh language policy in recognition of the fact that it delivers services in Wales. Following approval by the Welsh Language Board, it came into effect on 19 July 2005 and has recently been updated.

Prisoner Deportation

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs by what means her Department is notified of a recommendation for deportation after conviction of a defendant in court; what steps her Department takes thereafter; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: I have been asked to reply.
	The Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) will be notified of a judicial recommendation for deportation by the convicting Court and/or the receiving prison immediately following conviction.
	Upon notification of such a recommendation IND will establish whether an appeal has been lodged against the sentence and the result of any such appeal. IND will at the same time collate all papers relevant to the person's conviction and any previous convictions. Where there is no/an unsuccessful appeal IND will then consider whether, in the light of all of the known personal circumstances, any representations and the nature of the offence, it is appropriate to deport the person. Where necessary enquiries will be made of the person to establish these personal circumstances.
	Where it is considered appropriate to proceed in line with the judicial recommendation, the person will be served with a notice of decision to make a deportation order. This decision will attract a right of appeal.
	Where a person is unsuccessful in their appeal, or where the person fails to appeal, IND will then submit a Deportation Order for signature by the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Nationality, or duty Home Office Minister. Action will then be taken to deport the person on, or as soon as possible after, their release date.
	In my written Ministerial Statement of 19 July 2006,  Official Report, column 29WS, I set out the progress the Department is making in overhauling the system for the deportation of foreign national prisoners so that they face deportation, and that this should happen as early as possible in their sentence.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Beaches

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what duties  (a) local authorities and  (b) other involved bodies have in respect of the duty of care for bathers on beaches; what recent meetings (i) she and (ii) officials in her Department have had on the subject; and what plans the Government have for action in this area.

Angela Smith: Risk assessments of beaches and the provision of information and practical beach safety measures are discretionary activities for local authorities and other beach owners. However, awareness of these issues is high among coastal authorities and many undertake these activities as part of their strategy to support and encourage tourism. I met with the RNLI and am currently discussing the subject with Whitehall colleagues.

Beaches

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will ask local authorities and other beach owners who encourage the public to use their beaches to carry out a risk assessment to be published alongside tourist information and publicity.

Angela Smith: Risk assessments of beaches and the provision of information and practical beach safety measures are discretionary activities for local authorities. However, awareness of these issues is high among coastal authorities and many undertake these activities as part of their strategy to support and encourage tourism.

Business Rating

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many businesses were on the ratings list in each Government office region in England in each year since 1996-97.

Phil Woolas: The number of hereditaments (properties liable to pay non-domestic rates) on the local rating list in each Government office region in England as at 1 April in each year since 1997 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of hereditaments as at 1 April 
			  Thousand 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 North east 74 73 73 72 74 74 74 74 74 74 
			 North west 234 233 220 220 223 223 235 234 233 234 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 167 166 167 166 169 170 170 170 170 171 
			 East Midlands 130 129 129 128 131 131 132 132 132 134 
			 West Midlands 172 172 172 171 175 175 176 177 178 179 
			 East of England 164 164 156 154 158 158 169 170 171 174 
			 London 277 277 298 295 299 299 278 278 278 280 
			 South east 233 232 232 232 236 237 238 240 240 243 
			 South west 173 173 173 172 176 176 177 177 179 181 
			 Total England 1,623 1,618 1,619 1,612 1,639 1,644 1,648 1,654 1,656 1,670 
			  Source: Valuation Office Agency 
		
	
	It is not possible to identify businesses that occupy more than one hereditament. Data prior to 1997 are not shown as the regions were reorganised on 1 April 1997 and the data are not comparable.

Cash Machines

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will introduce planning guidance on the location of cash machines within new developments so as to facilitate crime reduction.

Yvette Cooper: 'Planning Policy Statement 1: Delivering Sustainable Development' (PPS1), published in 2005, places strong emphasis on the role of planning in helping to reduce crime. Planning authorities are asked to have robust policies which address crime prevention issues in their development plans. Crime prevention is also capable of being a material consideration in relation to planning applications.
	The Government have also published 'Safer Places: The Planning System and Crime Prevention' (ODPM/Home Office, 2004), which provides detailed advice on the layout of all buildings and spaces to reduce the risk of crime, including, where appropriate, the incorporation of target-hardening measures such as CCTV, in new development. The guidance also urges planners, designers and crime prevention practitioners and the police to work together to develop solutions from an early stage in the design process.
	The location of cash machines is a matter for banks and other providers, who should work closely with local authorities and, for example, the police, security industry and town centre management, to ensure that they are located in as safe an environment as possible.

Commission on Integration and Cohesion

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the budget is of the Commission on Integration and Cohesion.

Meg Munn: The Commission on Integration and Cohesion's budget is £558,500 for the financial year 2006-07.

Connect Programme

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the provisional budget is for the Government Connect Programme; and which Government agencies will participate.

Phil Woolas: The Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Communities and Local Government have just released an additional £10 million to establish the Government Connect service on a firm foundation. This brings the total budget to £26.5 million.
	We are now seeking with our local government partners to engage more widely with central Government Departments over the next two years, to establish how using Government Connect can produce wider benefits.

Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the Minister for Housing and Planning expects to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 5 July 2006, on policy on private sector housing.

Yvette Cooper: A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 25 July 2006. I have arranged for a copy to be sent to him.

Council Tax Rebates

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which 16 councils and energy companies have piloted schemes where council tax rebates are offered to those who make energy saving changes to their homes.

Phil Woolas: There are now 34 local authorities running schemes, with funding from Centrica, that provide for rebates on council tax bills to householders undertaking certain energy efficiency measures in their homes.
	The local authorities are: Babergh, Braintree, Breckland, Broadland, Conwy, Croydon, Dartford, Daventry, Derbyshire Dales, Ellesmere Port and Neston, Fareham, Forest Heath, Ipswich, Kettering, Redditch, Runnymede, St. Edmundsbury, Salford, Sefton, Slough, Solihull, South Cambridgeshire, South Derbyshire, South Hams, South Norfolk, South Northamptonshire, South Shropshire, Suffolk Coastal, Tameside, Tamworth, Taunton Deane, Test Valley, Uttlesford and Wear Valley.

Departmental Expenditure

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what annual remuneration Sir Michael Lyons receives in respect of his roles as  (a) Audit Commission Chair and  (b) Chair of the review of local government.

Phil Woolas: Sir Michael Lyons' remuneration as the Audit Commission's Acting Chairman from 24 January to 30 October 2006 was £40,131.94.
	For his work from September 2004 to December 2006 on the two stages of his independent inquiry into local government, Sir Michael is receiving flat rate fees totalling £269,500 (plus VAT).

Departmental Staff

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many staff there are in her Department's ministerial private offices, broken down by grade; and how many there were in the predecessor Department in 2005-06.

Angela Smith: As at 30 June 2006 the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) had 28 posts in the ministerial private offices. A breakdown by grade is as follows:
	
		
			  Grade  Number 
			 SCS level 1 
			 Grade 6 0 
			 Grade 7 2 
			 SEO 0 
			 HEO 10 
			 EO 9 
			 AO 6 
			 AA 0 
			 Total 28 
		
	
	Direct comparisons with predecessor Departments are not possible because DCLG has a different range of departmental responsibilities.

East of England Plan

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how she intends to promote public consultation on her proposed changes to the draft East of England plan.

Meg Munn: The proposed changes will be publicised in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Regional Planning) (England) Regulations 2004. Comments submitted either by post or electronically will be accepted, and the consultation will run for a minimum period of 12 weeks.

East of England Plan

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she plans to publish her proposed changes to the draft East of England plan.

Meg Munn: The Secretary of State's proposed changes will be published in winter 2006-07.

Ecton Lane Travellers' Site

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she will complete the review of Ecton Lane Travellers' site in Northamptonshire.

Meg Munn: My Department is not undertaking any review of the refurbishment scheme at the Ecton Lane park caravan site. I wrote to the chief executive of Northampton borough council on 28 June to express my concern and to ask to be notified of the outcome of the council's own investigation. I understand that this is complete and I am now waiting to hear from the council as to its outcomes and any action that it intends to take.

English Partnerships

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make a statement on the progress of English Partnerships' pilot hardcore brownfield programme.

Yvette Cooper: English Partnerships has developed a pilot programme of feasibility studies on brownfield sites in 14 areas to help inform development of proposals for a national strategy to increase the reuse of brownfield land.
	The main objective of the pilot projects is to identify the brownfield sites of greatest concern at local level, to assess the hurdles that prevent the reuse of brownfield land and test different solutions to redevelopment, through local brownfield partnerships. The partnerships have already identified potential sites, tested the feasibility of the project proposals, whether housing, commercial or open space, and assessed current delivery mechanisms to bring projects forward. A total of eight projects are now being taken forward by English Partnerships with local authority, community and other partners. The next stage of the work will involve determining how each site could best be brought forward for development that meets local need.
	In the six remaining pilot sites English Partnerships will not take a direct delivery role. Delivery mechanisms have however been identified to facilitate the regeneration of these sites and English Partnerships remains in an advisory role to assist with redevelopment of the sites for the benefit of local communities.

Government Art Collection

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which works of art are on loan from the Government Art Collection to her Department.

Angela Smith: The Department for Communities and Local Government currently has the following works of art on loan from the Government Art Collection.
	
		
			  Title  Artist  Type 
			 Paradox No1 Derek Hirst Print 
			 Paradox No2 Derek Hirst Print 
			 Paradox No3 Derek Hirst Print 
			 Paradox No4 Derek Hirst Print 
			 Paradox No5 Derek Hirst Print 
			 Low Tide Julian Trevelyan Print 
			 Chiswick Mall Julian Trevelyan Print 
			 Phoenix (1) Ian Stephenson Print 
			 Phoenix (2) Ian Stephenson Print 
			 Phoenix (3) Ian Stephenson Print 
			 Phoenix (4) Ian Stephenson Print 
			 Phoenix (5) Ian Stephenson Print 
			 Phoenix (6) Ian Stephenson Print 
			 Netley Abbey C Tunstall Small Print 
			 Apse of Notre Dame Bernard Kay Print 
			 Chartres East Bernard Kay Print 
			 Chartes West Bernard Kay Print 
			 Interior Poitiers Bernard Kay Print 
			 Beauvais Bernard Kay Print 
			 Syon House Conservatory Charles Gautier Print 
			 Aubergines Andre Bicat Print 
			 Façade Six Eric Malthouse Print 
			 Façade Four Eric Malthouse Print 
			 The Boat to Greenwich—Wapping to Windsor Edward Ardizzone Print 
			 Shot Silk—35 Artists Printmaking Folio 1 Tim Mara Print 
			 Downs and Water Meadows Robert Tavener Print 
			 Old Barn and Farm, Tenterden Robert Tavener Print 
		
	
	This answer does not include buildings occupied by Government Offices, who carry out functions on behalf of 10 Government Departments.

Harlow Council  v. Hall

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 26 March 2006,  Official Report, column 138W, on Harlow Council  v. Hall, how many such tenancies have been terminated; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Home Condition Reports

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether HM Revenue and Customs will have access to the Home Condition Report register.

Yvette Cooper: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 23 May 2006,  Official Report, column 1657W.

Housing

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate her Department has made of the number of new affordable houses required in  (a) the North West,  (b) Cumbria and  (c) Westmorland and Lonsdale in each year until 2020.

Yvette Cooper: Local planning authorities are required to conduct a housing needs assessment and to consider the requirement for new affordable housing as part of the local development plan. The Regional Assembly is expected to assess the need for affordable housing to inform the Regional Housing Board decisions and the Regional Spatial Strategy. The Department has not conducted separate specific estimates.
	Planning policy on affordable housing is set out at a national level in PPG3. Planning authorities are required to have regard to these policies when preparing their development plans and these policies may be material to individual planning decisions.
	Regional policies on affordable housing are set out in Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) for the north-west of England, formerly known as RPG13. Policy in existing RSS states that development plans should make provision for a range of dwelling types, and sizes to meet the assessed need of all sectors of the community in both rural and urban areas based on up-to-date local housing needs studies. Regional policies provide guidance for local authorities when making decisions on the level of affordable housing in their local development plans; however they do not stipulate numbers for affordable housing. It is up to individual authorities to decide on the level of affordable housing required in their area in their local development plans in accordance with RPG13 and draft PPS3.
	The RSS is currently in the process of being reviewed. The North West Regional Assembly published the revised Draft RSS for a 12 week consultation on March 20 2006. The responses to the consultation will be examined by a panel set up by the Secretary of State. The panel will then carry out an Examination in Public to debate selected topics, based on issues raised in the consultation responses, before making their recommendations to the Secretary of State. As RSS is being revised local authorities continue to refer to the existing RSS for regional policy on affordable housing until the publication of the final RSS document—which is expected to be late 2007.

Housing

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate her Department has made of the number of new affordable homes required in the East Riding of Yorkshire in each year until 2015; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The current Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) for Yorkshire and Humber sets a target of 4,000 affordable homes per year in Yorkshire and Humber as a whole but does not break this down to individual local authority areas. The new draft RSS proposes to increase the regional target to 6,000 affordable dwellings per year and proposes to provide a figure for each local planning authority expressed in terms of the percentage of affordable homes on sites of more than 15 homes. For East Riding of Yorkshire council, it is suggested that there is a "high level of need" and that 40 per cent. of homes should be affordable on sites of more than 15 homes. This approach is currently being tested at the Examination in Public. The panel will make recommendations to the Secretary of State and the final RSS will be agreednext year.
	Local planning authorities have responsibility for setting a numerical target for affordable housing provision in their area, taking account of relevant housing market assessments and local and regional strategies. The target should also take account of the anticipated levels of finance available for affordable housing, including public subsidy from the Housing Corporation and the level of developer contribution that can realistically be sought through Section 106 agreements. East Riding of Yorkshire council has set a target of providing 200 extra affordable homes per year to meet the loss of affordable homes and maintain the status quo. A Housing Needs Study has just been completed and is currently being assessed.

Housing

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the effect of Government targets on void times on people seeking to move from the private rented sector into local authority housing; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The Government have not set a target in respect of void times.
	Best Value Performance Indicator (BVPI) BV212 measures the average time taken to re-let local authority housing. However, BV212 does not differentiate according to the type of tenure the person was in prior to the letting. Targets set against the indicator are determined by individual local authorities themselves.

Housing

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homeless people there were in  (a) England and  (b) each local authority area in each of the last 20 years.

Yvette Cooper: Information about local authorities' actions under homelessness legislation is collected in respect of households rather than persons. The number of households accepted by local authorities as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need for each year in England since 1986-87, and the number of households in England in temporary accommodation arranged by the councils under homelessness legislation as at 31 March in each year, are in the following table.
	The duty owed to a household accepted as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need is to secure suitable accommodation. If a settled home is not immediately available, the authority may secure temporary accommodation until a settled home becomes available.
	Information is also collected on the number of people who sleep rough—that is, those who are literally roofless on a single night—and these are also presented in the table (mid-year estimates).
	
		
			  England  Households accepted( 1 ) as owed a main homelessness duty during the year  Households in temporary accommodation( 2)  at end of year (31 March snapshot  Rough sleepers( 3,)  number of persons (June) 
			 1986-87 102,790 22,060 (4)— 
			 1987-88 112,000 26,950 (4)— 
			 1988-89 114,360 31,510 (4)— 
			 1989-90 127,820 41,150 (4)— 
			 1990-91 139,290 50,000 (4)— 
			 1991-92 139,630 62,090 (4)— 
			 1992-93 136,230 61,380 (4)— 
			 1993-94 125,360 52,340 (4)— 
			 1994-95 116,850 46,350 (4)— 
			 1995-96 116,550 43,240 (4)— 
			 1996-97 110,610 41,250 (4)— 
			 1997-98 102,430 47,520 (4)— 
			 1998-99 104,260 56,580 1,850 
			 1999-2000 105,580 65,170 1,633 
			 2000-01 114,670 75,200 1,180 
			 2001-02 116,660 80,210 703 
			 2002-03 128,540 89,040 596 
			 2003-04 135,430 97,680 504 
			 2004-05 120,860 101,070 508 
			 2005-06 93,980 96,370 459 
			 2006-07 (4)— (4)— 502 
			 (1) Households eligible under homelessness legislation, found to be unintentionally homeless and in a priority need category, and consequently owed a main homelessness duty. (2) Households in accommodation either pending a decision on their homelessness application or awaiting re-allocation of a settled home following acceptance. Excludes those households designated as "homeless at home" that have remained in their existing accommodation and have the same rights to suitable alternative accommodation as those in accommodation arranged by the authority. (3 )Mid-year estimates. (4) Denotes data not collected/available  Sources: DCLG P1E Homelessness returns (quarterly); and Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix (annual) for Rough Sleepers data. 
		
	
	Information on acceptances and number of households in temporary accommodation at local authority level is available from 1997-98 onwards. The statutory homelessness data reported by local authorities has been placed in the Library, along with rough sleeper estimates from 1998 onwards.

Human Trafficking

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions she has had with Foreign and Commonwealth Office colleagues on proposals to warn girls and women living outside the UK of the dangers of trafficking.

Meg Munn: Discussions about this issue are ongoing with Foreign Office colleagues in the Inter-Ministerial Group on trafficking of which I am a member. We are working internationally to prevent trafficking by investing in projects in source and transit countries to build capacity and raise awareness of trafficking with potential victims. The Home Office, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department of International Development have all funded schemes aimed at raising awareness of the dangers of trafficking and building capacity.
	We have provided a total of £200,000 to fund various anti-trafficking projects in the Western Balkans, a key transit region. We have also given £70,000 to Anti-Slavery International for raising awareness of the abuses suffered by the victims of trafficking and remedial action in West Africa (including Benin, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Ghana, Niger and Togo). Additionally we have given £8.9 million for the International Labour Organisation's International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) programme in the Greater Mekong region (parts of Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam). This involves a number of inter-linked interventions to raise awareness and prevent trafficking, and to withdraw women and children from labour exploitation and reintegrate them back into their own, or new, communities.

IDeA Knowledge

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which body  (a) audits and  (b) inspects IDeA Knowledge.

Phil Woolas: IDeA Knowledge is a website provided to local government by the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA). The IDeA itself is a company limited by guarantee and as such is required to appoint auditors. Appointment of auditors, (currently Deloitte Touche) is a matter for the IDeA directors.
	The IDeA receives grant funding via section 78 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 (duty for the Secretary of State to pay revenue support grant to specified bodies each financial year). The procedures for monitoring the use of these funds are covered by a memorandum of understanding agreed between the Local Government Association and the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Interreg

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what role her Department plays in the EU's Interreg programmes; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The Department's role in respect of the European Union Interreg Community Initiative is to represent Government and stakeholder interests in the direction and management of the Interreg programmes in which the Department is involved. The Department also works with stakeholders who seek support and advice on preparing proposals for projects which might be supported by the programmes. The Department has in the past provided match funding to support some projects.

Islam and Muslim Affairs

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what arrangements her Department has in place for offering her advice on Islam and matters relating to Muslims; and who her advisers are on Islam and Muslim affairs.

Meg Munn: The Secretary of State is advised by her officials. This advice is informed by engagement with a diverse range of UK Muslim communities that she has met since taking on her current role.

Local Government

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  for what reason she changed the supported borrowing regime for local authorities; and what assessment she has made of the effect of the changes made on the capital expenditure of local authorities;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the effect of the changes to the supported borrowing regime on  (a) the construction industry and  (b) school construction in (i) Gloucestershire and (ii) England.

Phil Woolas: The supported borrowing regime has not changed. Government support for borrowing continues to be issued as part of formula grant, which comprises Revenue support grant and redistributed business rates.

Local Government

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library all submissions sent to her Department in the last year from individuals and organisations in Gloucestershire on local government reorganisation.

Phil Woolas: We have received five written representations from the Gloucestershire county area about local government reform; we will send redacted copies to the hon. Member.

Local Government

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on how many occasions the local government ombudsman concluded that local councils were found to have been guilty of  (a) maladministration and  (b) administrative fault in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what (i) definition and (ii) processes apply to each type of finding.

Phil Woolas: The information requested on the number of findings of maladministration by the ombudsman in 2005-06 and on the meaning and process which applies to such a finding, is available in the Ombudsman's Annual Report 2005-06 at www.lgo.org.uk/annual.htm. Copies of the annual report will be placed in the Library of the House.
	The Local Government Act 1974, under the terms of which the ombudsman operates, does not make provision for the ombudsman to make a specific finding of "administrative fault".

Local Government

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities are in dispute with the District Auditor over their Minimum Revenue Provision; and what sums are involved in each case.

Phil Woolas: The information requested is not held centrally.

Local Government Pension Scheme

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove) of 9 October 2006,  Official Report, column 400W, on the Local Government Pension Scheme, what the cost to employers of the scheme was in each financial year from 1996-97 to 2003-04 in 2004-05 prices.

Phil Woolas: The amount of contributions paid by employers in the Local Government Pension Scheme for the period 1996-97 to 2003-04 at 2004-05 prices is shown in the following table. About 20 per cent. of these costs relate to non-local authority employers who participate in the scheme.
	
		
			  £ million 
			   Actual cost  Cost at 2004-05 prices 
			 1996-97 1,322 1,612 
			 1997-98 1,520 1,801 
			 1998-99 1,788 2,066 
			 1999-2000 1,972 2,233 
			 2000-01 2.273 2,538 
			 2001-02 2,617 2,855 
			 2002-03 2,916 3,085 
			 2003-04 3,217 3,306

Local Referendums

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance her Department has issued on whether a decision by a local authority to hold a local referendum under the Local Government Act 2003 should be taken by  (a) a full council and  (b) an executive.

Phil Woolas: No such guidance has been issued. As this matter is not stipulated in regulations the decision is by default for the executive of the local authority to take, by virtue of section 13 of the Local Government Act 2000.

Local Referendums

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether county councils in two-tier local government areas may hold a a local referendum; and which tier of local government should pay for the costs of a local referendum in a two-tier area.

Phil Woolas: A county council in a two-tier area may hold a local referendum either independently of, or in tandem with, local district councils. Funding would be a matter for the authorities concerned.

London Olympics

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent representations she has received on the Olympic Levy in London.

Angela Smith: The Department for Communities and Local Government does not keep a separate record of representations received on the Olympic Levy in London.

Lyons Inquiry

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she expects the Lyons Inquiry into local government finance to report.

Phil Woolas: Sir Michael Lyons will submit the final report of his independent inquiry to my right hon. Friends the Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government by the end of this year.

Mayors

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance the Government have published on the procedures to be followed in order to move from a directly-elected mayor to a cabinet system.

Phil Woolas: Guidance on this matter is included in "New Council Constitutions: Guidance to English Local Authorities" which was published in 2001 as part of the guidance on new constitutional arrangements introduced by the Local Government Act 2000. This is available at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=l133792

Mentors

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities in England and Wales are paying for peer group mentors for their elected members.

Phil Woolas: The information requested for England is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The information for Wales is a matter for the Welsh Assembly Government.

Microgeneration

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance is issued to local planning authorities on the processing of microgeneration applications; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 16 October 2006
	Some microgeneration equipment will be 'permitted development' and will not require an application for planning permission. The Government are looking to extend the scope of what is permitted development to enable more householders to install such technologies without the need for a planning application. We will consult in the next few months on our proposals.
	Where a planning application is required it should be assessed against the policies set out in the local planning authority's development plan. National planning policy on renewable energy, set out in Planning Policy Statement 22 (PPS22), expects these plans to promote and encourage renewable energy and can be a companion guide that provides practical advice for considering proposals for renewable energy, including for microgeneration.

Minimum Wage

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many employees in  (a) her Department and  (b) its associated agencies and non-departmental public bodies were affected by the rise in the minimum wage on 1 October.

Angela Smith: None—the pay rates of all staff employed in the Department for Communities and Local Government, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies, are above the minimum wage.

Planning

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 15 May 2006,  Official Report, column 813W, on planning, in how many of the cases listed Estates Partnerships played a role as  (a) applicant,  (b) agent and  (c) another role.

Yvette Cooper: Our records of planning applications and planning appeals considered by the Deputy Prime Minister and other planning Ministers show no applications from Estate Partnerships, either as appellant or agent.
	We do not know which people and organisations are clients of Estate Partnerships and are therefore unable to provide any further answer with regard to them.

Planning Inspectorate

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the Planning Inspectorate's policy is on fast-tracking planning appeals relating to  (a) residential developments and  (b) care homes.

Yvette Cooper: Following receipt of Kate Barker's Report on Housing Supply the Government decided that for 2006-07 the Planning Inspectorate's key performance targets should include for England the following timeliness proposals for 10 or more dwellings:
	To open all hearings within 20 weeks of the start date of the case.
	To issue 80 per cent. of decisions within 10 weeks of the close of the hearing.
	To open all inquiries within 20 weeks of the start date of the case.
	To issue 80 per cent. of decisions within 10 weeks of the close of the inquiry.
	There is no policy to fast-track planning appeals for other categories.

Policy Action Team 18

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what publications have been produced by her Department's Policy Action Team 18; and whether the action team remains in operation.

Phil Woolas: Policy Action Team 18 produced one report only, titled "Better Information" published in April 2000. The action team itself no longer exists, however responsibility for the recommendations of the PAT 18 report were taken forward by a partnership of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the then Neighbourhood Renewal Unit (NRU) (now part of the Places and Communities Group, DCLG). As a result the Neighbourhood Statistics Service (NeSS) was launched.

PPG3

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 25 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1610W, on Planning Policy Guidance Note 3 (PPG3), whether the 1992 edition of PPG3 applied to Wales before the establishment of the National Assembly for Wales.

Yvette Cooper: A separate version, Planning Policy Guidance note 3 (Wales), Housing in Wales, was issued for Wales in 1992, but was subsequently cancelled and superseded by Planning Guidance Wales: Planning Policy, issued by the then Secretary of State for Wales in 1996. This 1996 guidance was itself replaced in 2002 by the Welsh Assembly Government's Planning Policy Wales document referred to in my earlier answer.

PPG3

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the final version of planning policy statement 3 will be published.

Yvette Cooper: Planning policy statement 3: 'Housing' (PPS3) will be published later this year.

Public Conveniences

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many public conveniences were in working order and available for use in each of the last 10 years.

Phil Woolas: The provision and maintenance of toilets in public places is at the discretion of local authorities who have, under section 87 of the Public Health Act 1936, a power to provide public conveniences, but no duty to do so. For this reason, the information requested is not held centrally. Figures from the Valuation Office Agency indicate the number of public conveniences open to the public between 2000 and 2004 was as set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of public conveniences open to the public 
			  Government Office Region  2000  2002  2003  2004  Percentage reduction 
			 North East 286 280 276 260 9.1 
			 North West 565 538 519 509 9.9 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 567 536 520 496 12.5 
			 East Midlands 439 418 411 399 9.1 
			 West Midlands 437 428 416 408 6.6 
			 East of England 578 574 561 560 3.1 
			 London 500 474 451 419 16.2 
			 South West 1,099 1,063 1,034 1,014 7.7 
			 England 5,342 5,157 4,996 4,853 9.2 
			  Note: VOA totals given in the table show conveniences that are open to the public. They will include stand alone conveniences, and also those located in (for example) car parks and shopping malls

Public Events (Risk Assessments)

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance her Department has given to local authorities on the requirement for risk assessments of public events.

Phil Woolas: The Department for Communities and Local Government contributed to the Health and Safety Executive's published guidance "The Event Safety Guide: A guide to health safety and welfare at music and similar events". The guidance includes advice on risk assessment and many practical, sensible steps to help make events run safely.

Regeneration (Thames Gateway)

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps she is taking to ensure that the Building Regulations ensure  (a) a satisfactory standard in the case of modern construction materials and techniques and  (b) that the value of innovative products and techniques is recognised.

Angela Smith: Building Regulations are concerned with the health and safety of people in and around buildings, and with the accessibility and energy efficiency of buildings. The regulations prescribe performance standards which apply equally to modern and traditional construction products and techniques. The Department keeps the regulations under review, including their applicability to modern products and techniques.

Regional Fire Control Rooms

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when a draft version of the full business case for regional fire control rooms will be published.

Angela Smith: A draft of the FiReControl Full Business Case will be published shortly. On publication a copy will be placed in the House Library along with FRS Circular 63/2005 which sets out implementation funding for the project and details which costs will be met by central Government.

Reviews Progress

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress has been made with the  (a) Independent Equalities and  (b) Discrimination Law reviews.

Meg Munn: Both reviews are progressing well. I understand that the Equalities Review will publish its final report early next year, and we intend to publish a consultation paper on the proposals emerging from the Discrimination Law Review around the same time.

Thames Gateway

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress has been made towards the target in "Creating Sustainable Communities: Making it Happen" for the creation of 160,000 to 180,000 new jobs in the Thames Gateway between 2003 and 2016.

Yvette Cooper: The number of employees in the Thames Gateway has already increased from 548,580 in 1998 to 637,866 in 2004.
	Later this year, the Department will publish a Strategic Framework for the Thames Gateway. It will have at its core an economic rationale for the Gateway, developed in partnership with the three Thames Gateway Regional Development Agencies and the Thames Gateway Sub-Regional Partnerships. The Department plans to publish a baseline report alongside the framework, which will describe the position at the start of the programme in 2003. We intend to use this to produce progress updates at appropriate intervals thereafter.

Traveller Communities

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the likely effect of the  (a) recent and  (b) forthcoming European Union expansion on the extent of migration of Traveller communities into the United Kingdom.

Meg Munn: The Department for Communities and Local Government has not conducted a specific assessment of the possible migration of the accession countries' Gypsy/Roma ethnic minorities into the United Kingdom.

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Hammersmith and Fulham (Mr. Hands), of 4 September 2006,  Official Report, column 1680W, on the Valuation Office Agency, what the logarithmic variable formula is.

Phil Woolas: The term "logarithmic variable formula" is not used within the Valuation Office Agency (VOA). The formula referred to in the previous answer is the basic structure of the formulae used in all log linear regression modelling within the VOA's automated valuation model (AVM).

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 18 July 2006,  Official Report, column 367W, on the Valuation Office Agency, what the cost was to public funds of purchasing the ACORN data from CACI Information Solutions; and for what purposes it was purchased.

Phil Woolas: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove) on 12 October 2006,  Official Report, column 881W.

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the council tax revaluation in England is classified as a mission critical programme by the Valuation Office Agency.

Phil Woolas: No. The council tax revaluation in England has been postponed

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the Multiple Regression Analysis used by the Valuation Office Agency for council tax valuations has neighbourhood adjustment factors.

Phil Woolas: Multiple regression analysis is undertaken by the Valuation Office Agency's (VOA's) automated valuation model (AVM). Locality adjustment factors are used when calibrating the AVM.

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government why the Valuation Office Agency decided not to create a banding engine for the English council tax revaluation.

Phil Woolas: A banding engine was not created within the Valuation Office Agency's (VOA's) automated valuation model (AVM) as, at the time the model was being developed, the banding scheme had not been determined.

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library a copy of the recent letter sent to local authority chief executives from the Valuation Office Agency on providing property information for council tax and business rates valuations.

Phil Woolas: The letter referred to was from the chief executive of the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) to his counterparts in each local authority, seeking their support for the implementation of a number of partnership working initiatives, aimed at improving the service provided by the VOA to each local authority and in turn by them to their ratepayers and council taxpayers. A copy of the letter has been placed in the Library of the House as requested.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether neighbourhood is one of the variables in the Valuation Office Agency's automated valuation model's multiple regression formula.

Phil Woolas: No.

Valuation Tribunal Service

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what public sector bodies are part of the Valuation Tribunal Service's electronic data transfer initiatives; and what data are transferred as part of the initiative.

Phil Woolas: The Valuation Tribunal Service (VTS) shares electronic data with the Valuation Office Agency (VOA). The VOA transfer data relating to council tax and non domestic rating (business rates) appeals to relevant valuation tribunals. The information is exchanged when a formal appeal is being initiated and therefore details, such as the correspondence address, are required by the valuation tribunals. Valuation tribunals transmit listing dates and appeal status changes to the VOA.

Waste Management (London)

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will publish the consultancy reports that have been commissioned by her Department relating to the review of waste management arrangements in London.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 16 October 2006
	I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 16 October 2006,  Official Report, columns 907-08W.

Wind Farms

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance her Department gives to local planning authorities on the extent to which the European Landscape Convention should be taken into account when considering applications for the development of  (a) onshore and  (b) offshore wind farms.

Yvette Cooper: The Government believe that the UK is already fulfilling the requirements of the Council of Europe's European Landscape Convention, and therefore it does not have any immediate implications for the land use planning system in England. National planning policies, including Planning Policy Statement 1, "Delivering Sustainable Development", recognise the need to provide appropriate protection and enhancement of rural and urban landscapes in England, in line with the principal aims of the Convention. Planning Policy Statement 22 (PPS22) sets out the locational considerations, including for landscape, that should be applied to proposals for renewable energy. PPS22 is supported by a Companion Guide that provides practical advice for considering proposals for renewable energy, including any potential impact on landscape.

Working Time Directive

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance her Department has issued to fire authorities and fire brigades on the Working Time Directive and retained fire fighters.

Angela Smith: The Department issued guidance to the Fire and Rescue Service on Working Time Regulations in April 2004. The guidance was drawn up with advice from HM Fire Service Inspectorate and the Health and Safety Executive. Clear reference is made in the guidance where specific arrangements are required to be made by Fire and Rescue Authorities for Retained Duty System personnel.
	Separate central guidance has not been issued regarding retained duty system firefighters. All members of fire and rescue service staff whether uniformed or not are subject to these regulations.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Neighbourhood Watch

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what role neighbourhood watch schemes have in tackling crime and antisocial behaviour.

Tony McNulty: Neighbourhood watch and other watch schemes have an important role to play in empowering local people to help reduce crime, tackle antisocial behaviour and reduce the fear of crime in communities by working closely with their local police, crime and disorder reduction partnerships and local authorities to report suspicious or antisocial behaviour.

Community Support Officers

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police community support officers there were in 2005; how many he expects there to be in 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The published number of community support officers at 31 March 2005 in England and Wales was 6,214. We expect that number to rise to 16,000 by next April and as indicated in the Criminal Justice Review on 20 July, we will discuss with the police service numbers beyond that.

Probation Boards

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his proposal to change the composition of probation boards.

Gerry Sutcliffe: We are giving probation boards increased autonomy, by changing the composition of probation boards through the amendment of the relevant statutory instrument, and loosening ties with the centre. We are removing the prescription that boards must have four magistrate and two local authority members thus allowing more local discretion on the composition of boards and allowing them to more closely meet local circumstances and needs.

Prisons

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have been transferred between prison establishments in the last 12 months.

Gerry Sutcliffe: 69,636 prison to prison transfers were recorded by the inter-prison transfer contractor between August 2005 and July 2006.
	The number of prison to prison transfers arranged locally by prisons is not recorded centrally.

Prisons

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions his Department has had with the social exclusion task force on the impact of Prison Service order 6300 on prisoners who are carers and on their children.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The findings of the Social Exclusion Unit Report 'Reducing re-offending by ex prisoners', published in 2002, were taken into account in the development of the new policy. No discussion with them has taken place since.

Prisons

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison places there were in each of the last four quarters in England and Wales.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The usable operational capacity of the prison estate for the last four quarters in the year is:
	
		
			  Quarter  Usable operational capacity 
			 30 December 2005 78,583 
			 31 March 2006 79,261 
			 30 June 2006 79,449 
			 29 September 2006 79,642 
		
	
	The useable operational capacity of the estate is the sum of all establishments' operational capacity less the operating margin of 1,700 places. The operating margin reflects the constraints imposed by the need to provide separate accommodation for different classes of prisoner, i.e. by sex, age, security category, conviction status, single cell risk assessment and also due to geographical distribution.

Prisons

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much space was available and designated for the practice of  (a) Church of England,  (b) Roman Catholic,  (c) non-conformist Christian,  (d) Hindu,  (e) Muslim and  (f) Sikh faith at each prison establishment in (i) 1997 and (ii) the last year for which information is available; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 18 October 2006
	This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Prisons are required to provide suitable places of worship and meditation for all faiths that acknowledge the religious, cultural and symbolic requirements of each faith tradition. How this is done in individual prisons will depend very much on local circumstances.

Police

Shahid Malik: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the roll-out of the neighbourhood policing model.

John Reid: Neighbourhood policing will be introduced to every area by April 2007, and every community will have a neighbourhood policing team by April 2008. Delivery of neighbourhood policing has now extended to more than 6,700 neighbourhoods.

Police

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the funding of Greater Manchester police will be in 2007-08; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The provisional grant settlement for 2007-08 was originally announced in December 2005. Formula grant funding for Greater Manchester police was provisionally set at 432.6 million.
	Council tax funding is a matter for Greater Manchester Police Authority.
	Government expects to see an average council tax increase of less than 5 per cent. in England in 2007-08.

Police

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the total amount of police officer time spent waiting at the custody desk; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 12 September 2006
	The period of time required to process a suspect at a police station will vary according to the changing operational priorities within each police station, the individual circumstances of the suspect and the suspected offence or offences. An activity-based costing (ABC) model has been developed to help managers within the police service to calculate the costs of policing activities, including time spent in police custody suites, and inform efficiency improvements.

Identity Cards

Andrew MacKay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what factors are most likely to alter his recent estimate of the cost of implementing the national identity card scheme.

Liam Byrne: The key factors affecting costs are the numbers of staff and premises. Particularly important is the staff time taken to process applications. This will be different from the current passport process as people will visit a local office to allow for the recording of biometric data.

Anver Sheikh

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the implications of the quashing of the Anver Sheikh case in the Court of Appeal on 16 October for the quality of the case originally brought.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I cannot comment on individual cases, however, I am sure that the Crown Prosecution Service will consider carefully what the Court of Appeal says when the full judgment is published.
	Since the Home Affairs Committee Report in 2002, much has been done to improve the way that investigations of historical child abuse are carried out. In particular, guidance from ACPO and the CPS has been developed and reflects lessons learned from the original investigations which took place in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Licensing Laws

Christine Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effect of the new licensing laws on combating crime.

Vernon Coaker: The Licensing Act 2003 has given police and partner agencies greater powers to tackle alcohol-related crime and disorder. The Home Office is undertaking an assessment of the change in the timing and volume of violent offences and criminal damage from October 2004. Initial results, from a sample of police forces that have voluntarily provided data which show what time of day these crimes are committed, were published in Crime in England and Wales 2005-06 in July 2006. The data show no indication of a rise in the overall level of violent offences and criminal damage.

Algeria

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the safety of people deported to Algeria.

Liam Byrne: The Government consider the safety of any prospective returnee at the initial decision stage, and, where applicable, it is also considered by the independent body which hears the appeal against that initial decision. These assessments are made against the background of current information from a wide range of well-recognised sources about the situation in the country concerned. In the specific case of Algeria, officials have recently had a series of helpful discussions with Algerian officials about the effects of the Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation and how this will be implemented.
	Where we decide to remove someone and they either do not appeal or their appeal is dismissed, we consider that it is safe for that individual to return.
	However, if specific allegations were to be made that any returnee has experienced ill-treatment on return from the UK, then these would be followed up through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the British embassy in Algiers as a matter of urgency.

Auction Websites

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the level of criminal activity on UK-based internet auction websites.

Vernon Coaker: Online markets and auction sites can potentially be used to facilitate a range of crimes including the sale of proscribed goods (from child abuse images to guns and knives, and pharmaceutical products), the sale of stolen and counterfeit goods, theft and fraud. Partly because of the clandestine nature of some forms of crime and partly because of the pace of development of the online marketplace we do not have figures on the level of criminal activity.
	Many online marketplaces have developed good working relationships with UK police forces. There have been a number of successful joint operations into the sale of stolen or proscribed goods. For example, a recent successful operation in London involving the National Mobile Phone Crime Unit (NMPCU) and eBay to tackle the sale of blocked or barred phones led to 13 arrests. Following that operation, eBay banned people selling stolen, blocked and barred mobile phone handsets on its UK site and produced joint guidance with NMPCU warning the public about the risks of buying stolen handsets and providing advice about how to avoid them.

Citizenship Ceremony

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many eligible applicants for British citizenship attended a citizenship ceremony in each of the last six months for which figures are available.

Liam Byrne: During the period April to September 2006 49,060 citizenship ceremonies were attended. The monthly totals are April: 9,575, May: 9,765, June: 9,170, July: 8,120, August: 7,295, September: 5,135.

Citizenship Ceremony

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the maximum time has been between the granting of an application for British citizenship and attendance at a British citizenship ceremony.

Liam Byrne: The normal maximum period between the granting of an application and attendance at a citizenship ceremony is three months, with the vast majority taking place well within this time scale. I am advised that one case did take 18 months, this was due to an oversight and such instances are extremely rare.

Crime Statistics

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recorded crimes there were in each of the last 30 years; and what the percentage change was in the number of reported crimes between each of those years.

Tony McNulty: The requested information is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Recorded crime in England and Wales 1975 to 2005-06 
			   Total recorded offences  Percentage change over previous year 
			 1975 2,105,631  
			 1976 2,135,713 1.4 
			 1977 2,636,517 23.4 
			 1978 2,561,499 -2.8 
			 1979 2,536,737 -1.0 
			 1980 2,688,235 6.0 
			 1981 2,963,764 10.2 
			 1982 3,262,422 10.1 
			 1983 3,247,030 -0.5 
			 1984 3,499,107 7.8 
			 1985 3,611,883 3.2 
			 1986 3,847,410 6.5 
			 1987 3,892,201 1.2 
			 1988 3,715,767 -4.5 
			 1989 3,870,748 4.2 
			 1990 4,543,611 17.4 
			 1991 5,276,173 16.1 
			 1992 5,591,717 6.0 
			 1993 5,526,255 -1.2 
			 1994 5,252,980 -4.9 
			 1995 5,100,241 -2.9 
			 1996 5,036,552 -1.2 
			 1997 4,598,327 -8.7 
			 1997-98 4,545,337 -1.2 
			 1998-99 (old rules) 4,481,817 -1.4 
			 1998-99 (new rules)(1) 5,109,089 (2) 
			 1999-2000 5,301,187 3.8 
			 2000-01 5,170,843 -2.5 
			 2001-02(3) 5,525,024 (4) 
			 2002-03(3,5) 5,974,960 8.1 
			 2003-04 6,013,759 0.6 
			 2004-05(6) 5,640,573 -6.2 
			 2005-06 5,556,513 -1.5 
		
	
	(1) The following changes were made from 1 April 1998: the change to the Home Office Counting Rules for recorded crime had the effect of increasing the number of crimes counted. Numbers of offences for years before and after this date are therefore not directly comparable. Other wounding (8) split into Other wounding (8A); Possession of weapons (8B) and Harassment (8C) Other frauds (53A) split into Cheque and credit card fraud (53A) and Other fraud (53B) Cruelty or neglect of children (11) became notifiable Assault on a constable (104) became notifiable Common assault (105) became notifiable Possession of controlled drugs (92B) and other drug offences became notifiable A number of other offences, classification numbers 26, 55, 75, 78, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 89, 90, 91, 94, 126,139, 802 and 814 became notifiable other changes. Racially aggravated offences became notifiable from 30 September 1998, but were only separately recorded from 1 April 1999 Abuse of position of trust (73) became notifiable from 1 January 2001. (2) Not comparable due to changes in counting rules. (3) Introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) across England and Wales on 1 April 2002. Some forces adopted the Standard prior to this date. Broadly, the NCRS had the effect of increasing the number of crimes recorded by the police. Therefore, following the introduction of the Standard, numbers of recorded crimes are not comparable with previous years. The change in definition relating to resultant injury in common assaults and less serious woundings, which applies from 1 April 2002, is described in the 'Common Assault' text box in Chapter 5 of HOSB 07/03. Religiously Aggravated offences were included with Racially Aggravated offences from 1 April 2002. Disclosure, Obstruction, False or Misleading Statements etc. was added to the series from 1 April 2002. (4) Not comparable due to changes introduced under the National Crime Recording Standard. (5) Includes the British Transport police from 2002-03 onwards. (6) The introduction of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 in May 2004 resulted in substantial changes to the sexual offences. This means that figures for 2004-05 are not comparable with those for previous years.

Foreign Prisoners

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) drugs offences and  (b) other criminal offences were discovered between 1 January and 1 August 2006 in (i) Colnbrook, (ii) Yarl's Wood, (iii) Harmondsworth, (iv) Campsfield House, (v) Dover, (vi) Dungavel, (vii) Haslar, (viii) Lindholme, (ix) Oakington and (x) Tinsley House immigration detention centres.

Liam Byrne: In relation to drug offences and other criminal offences within Immigration Removal Centres during the period 1 January to 1 August 2006: (i) there have been five drug offences and five other criminal offences at Colnbrook; (ii) Yarl's Wood has had no instances of either type of offence; (iii) Harmondsworth has had 10 drug offences and 30 other offences; (iv) Campsfield House has had no such offences; (v) Dover has had no drug offences and one other criminal case; (vi) Dungavel has had no drug offences but one other offence; (vii) Haslar has had no offences of either type; (viii) Lindholme has had no drug offences but two criminal offences; (ix) Oakington has had no offences of either type and (x) Tinsley House has also had no offences of either type. Overall there was a total of 15 drug offences and 39 other criminal offences.
	
		
			  Centre  Drug offence  Other offence 
			 Colnbrook 5 5 
			 Yarl's Wood 0 0 
			 Harmondsworth 10 30 
			 Campsfield House 0 0 
			 Dover 0 1 
			 Dungavel 0 1 
			 Haslar 0 0 
			 Lindholme 0 2 
			 Oakington 0 0 
			 Tinsley House 0 0 
			 Total 15 39

Human Trafficking

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many trafficked women have co-operated with prosecutions of trafficking cases in each of the last three years.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 16 October 2006
	To date we have seen 30 convictions for trafficking for sexual exploitation under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, in 16 different cases.
	There has only been one victim-less prosecution in the UK to date so all of the successful prosecutions for trafficking have had victim involvement and participation.

Human Trafficking

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what police initiatives are planned to target traffickers and trafficked people.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 16 October 2006
	I cannot comment on current police operations/activity. The UK human trafficking centre will be in a position to co-ordinate any national operations that the police decide to carry out in the future, including any follow- up to the very successful Operation Pentameter.

Malaysia

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether British overseas citizens from the Malaysian states of  (a) Penang and  (b) Malacca have ever been granted some form of leave to remain in the UK on claiming their rights to live in the UK; and whether there has been a change of policy in the last three years in each case.

Liam Byrne: The requested information cannot be obtained without examination of individual records at a disproportionate cost. British overseas citizens (BOC) do not have a right to live in the UK unless they qualify under another immigration category providing they can accommodate and maintain themselves adequately. Under the 2002 Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act, 12(1) and (2), they are entitled to register as British citizens if BOC is the only status or nationality they have and they have not voluntarily renounced any other citizenship that was theirs. There has been no change in policy in the last three years.

Malaysia

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many appeals have been granted by the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal against refusals to grant leave to remain to British overseas citizens from the Malaysian states of Penang and Malacca in each of the last five years.

Bridget Prentice: I have been asked to reply.
	The Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) does not hold information on appeals brought against refusals to grant leave to remain to British overseas citizens. We are unable to provide the information requested without incurring disproportionate costs.
	Provisional information shows that of 5,859 appeals brought against a decision to curtail, refuse to extend or vary leave to remain and promulgated in the period April to June 2006, 28 per cent. (1,644) were granted. It is not possible to specify the immigration decision being appealed.

Naturalisation

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the requirement is for the retention of papers relating to interviews and processing of naturalisation requests; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 17 October 2006
	Naturalisation applicants are not routinely interviewed. Papers relating to the processing of applications are retained on file indefinitely.
	Ministers are currently considering proposals for a retention and destruction policy for all Immigration and Nationality Directorate applicants' files, which would include files on those applying for naturalisation.

Neighbourhood Policing

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the implementation of neighbourhood policing in Pembrokeshire.

Tony McNulty: We are committed to ensuring that neighbourhood policing will be introduced to every community in England and Wales by April 2007, and that every community will have a neighbourhood policing team by April 2008.
	Dyfed-Powys Police, which is the force responsible for policing Pembrokeshire, is on track to meet both of these targets.

Pharmaceuticals

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the effect on  (a) jobs and  (b) the balance of payments if producers of oxycodone formulations move the manufacture of these formulations to the Republic of Ireland from the UK; whether it is his understanding that the Republic of Ireland would permit the import of oxycodone hydrochloride raw material from qualified producers in the US; and if he will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 9 October 2006
	No such estimates have been made. Importation practice in other territories is a matter for their authorities.

Police (Milton Keynes)

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) community support officers there were and  (b) frontline policemen were on the beat in Milton Keynes Basic Command Unit in each year between 1997 and 2005.

Tony McNulty: Milton Keynes is a Basic Command Unit (BCU) within the Thames Valley Police force.
	Data for police community support officer strength at the BCU level are not collected as part of National Statistics; however they are collected by the Police Human Resources Unit and are included. Data for police community support officer strength at force level are available from 2002-03 onwards and therefore data for Thames Valley Police are given in the following tables.
	Data for police officer strength (total police officers including both males and females) at BCU level are available from 2002-03 onwards and are given in the following tables.
	
		
			  Police community support officer strength within Thames Valley police force (FTE)( 1)  as at 31 March 200405( 2) 
			  As at 31 March each year:  Thames Valley Police Force 
			  2004 7 
			  2005 98 
			 (1) Full Time Equivalent. Includes those officers on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave. (2 )Police community support officers were introduced in statue in 2002, therefore data is not available prior to 2002-03. 
		
	
	
		
			  Police community support officer strength within Milton Keynes BCU (FTE)( 1)  as at 30 June 2005( 2) 
			  As at 30 June each year:  Milton Keynes BCU( 3) 
			  2005 11 
			  2006 not available 
			 (1) Full Time Equivalent. This figure includes those on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave. (2) Data not available prior to 2005 and has not yet been validated for 2006. (3) Data collated and published by Police Human Resources Unit. This data was provided by the force and does not form part of National Statistics. 
		
	
	
		
			  Police officer strength within Milton Keynes BCU (FTE)( 1)  as at 31 March 2003-05( 2) 
			  As at 31 March each year:  Milton Keynes BCU 
			 2003 346 
			 2004 371 
			 2005 378 
			 (1) Full Time Equivalent. Includes those officers on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave. (2) Data not available prior to 2002-03.

Prisoner Deportation

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what means his Department is notified of a judicial recommendation for deportation after conviction of a defendant.

Liam Byrne: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) will be notified of a judicial recommendation for deportation by the convicting Court and/or the receiving prison immediately following conviction.
	Upon notification of such a recommendation IND will establish whether an appeal has been lodged against the sentence and the result of any such appeal. IND will at the same time collate all papers relevant to the person's conviction and any previous convictions. Where there is no/an unsuccessful appeal IND will then consider whether in the light of all of the person's known personal circumstances, any representations and the nature of the offence it is appropriate to deport the person. Where necessary enquiries will be made of the person to establish these personal circumstances.
	Where it is considered appropriate to proceed in line with the judicial recommendation the person will be served with a notice of decision to make a deportation order. This decision will attract a right of appeal.
	Where a person is unsuccessful in their appeal/or where the person fails to appeal IND will then submit a Deportation Order for signature by the Immigration Minister or duty Home Office Minister. Action will then be taken to deport the person on or as soon as possible after their release date.
	In my written Ministerial Statement of 19 July 2006,  Official Report, column 29WS, I set out the progress the Department is making in overhauling the system for the deportation of foreign national prisoners so that they face deportation and that this should happen as early as possible in their sentence.

Public Records

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the criteria are for deciding what is operationally necessary when deciding on disposal of files on naturalisation under the Public Records Act 1958; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 17 October 2006
	Currently the Home Department has no published criteria for the disposal of files on naturalisation under the Public Records Act 1958.
	Ministers are currently considering proposals for the introduction of a review and destruction criteria for all Immigration and Nationality Directorate applicants' files, in line with the Public Records and Data Protection Acts. This would include files on those applying for naturalisation.

Special Immigration Appeals Commission

Douglas Hogg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what directions have been given to ensure that officials concerned with cases before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission  (a) make full disclosure of all relevant information and documents and  (b) provide accurate statements of fact; and if he will make a statement on the implications of the MK case.

Liam Byrne: All officials concerned with cases before SIAC are aware of the obligation to make full disclosure of all relevant information, and of the necessity for factual statements to be accurate in every respect. They are given advice as to the extent of these obligations, in particular in individual cases. That advice has been reviewed in the light of the incident referred to in the judgment. The particular processes involved in the preparation of the case in question have also been reviewed, with the aim of excluding the possibility of a repetition.
	The error in this case was brought to the judge's attention before he reached his judgment and the judge accepted that the error raised no concerns about the integrity, reasoning and conclusions of the court. He also accepted that the mistake had not been made in bad faith.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Aerospace Research

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with European and Aeronautic Defence and Space Company on the establishment of a research and development facility in the UK.

Margaret Hodge: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry had discussions with EADS at the Farnborough Air Show in July, and was able to announce that EADS had agreed in principle to establish a research and development facility in the UK. This is one of the measures intended to deepen its strategic relationship with the UK.
	Since then, officials from my Department have been in close discussions with EADS to determine the scope and scale of the centre, although no decisions have yet been taken on its location.

Airbus

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the current difficulties facing Airbus and the implications for the aerospace industry in the north west.

Margaret Hodge: I am aware of the programme problems that Airbus has announced, and my Department is in regular contact with the company. Airbus is assessing its options on how to recover its position. Airbus has a strong order book, with over 2,000 planes on order, representing about four to five years of deliveries. The Government remain a strong supporter of Airbus.

Airbus

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with Airbus on the manufacture of wings for the proposed A350XWB aircraft at the plant in Broughton.

Margaret Hodge: I am in regular contact with Airbus and EADS about a wide range of issues, including the UK's role in the proposed A350XWB aircraft.

Arms Exports

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received about UK arms exports being used  (a) by (i) criminal gangs, (ii) pariah states, (iii) terrorists, (iv) paramilitaries and (v) rebel forces and  (b) for the purposes of human rights abuses.

Malcolm Wicks: I have received a large number of representations concerning UK arms exports being used by undesirable end-users for the purpose of human rights abuses.
	I can assure the hon. Member that all export licence applications are considered on a case-by-case basis against the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria, taking into account the circumstances prevailing at the time and other relevant announced Government polices, which includes a thorough consideration of the risk of diversion to undesirable end-users. Should it be judged that an export would contravene any of the criteria, the application would be refused.

Bridges Community Ventures

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total value has been of  (a) contracts held with and  (b) payments and grants made to Bridges Community Ventures since May 2002.

Margaret Hodge: The Community Development Venture Fund (CDVF), more commonly known as the Bridges Fund, is a 40 million fully commercial venture capital fund managed by Bridges Community Ventures Ltd. The Government are committed to investing 20 million alongside 20 million from private sector investors. As at October 2006, the fund has drawn down a total of 15,454,434 from DTI's total investment commitment.

Broadband

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he or his officials have had with  (a) the Department for Communities and Local Government,  (b) the Treasury and  (c) Ofcom on (i) the exemption of local loop unbundling broadband operators from non-domestic rates and (ii) any interim arrangements to ensure that the operators are subject to the same effective non-domestic rate as BT; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), Valuation Office Agency (VOA) and Office of Communications (Ofcom) have held formal and informal discussions with British Telecom (BT) and local loop unbundling operators on this subject and there will be further discussions as part of the work on finding a long-term solution.
	Local loops are not exempt from non-domestic rates. BT is currently liable for non-domestic rates on all unbundled local loops in England until 31 March 2008. Local loop operators pay an annual charge to BT for each local loop they unbundle. BT is entitled to recover a contribution to their non-domestic rates bill within this annual charge, as determined by Ofcom.
	A consultation paper was issued by DCLG in December 2005 proposing various options including regulating to make BT responsible for the rates liability on all local loop unbundles in England as a short-term option. DCLG intends to issue a further consultation paper on the long-term options.

Broadband

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what definition his Department uses of broadband; what the evidential basis is for the selection of the kbit/s rate in that definition; and what research he has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on broadband kbit/s rates used by other EU member states.

Margaret Hodge: We use the Office of Communications' (Ofcom) definition of higher bandwidth, always-on service, offering data rates of 128kbps and above, first published in its report Review of the Wholesale Broadband Access Markets in May 2004 on the Ofcom website www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/wbamp/wholesalebroadbandreview/broadbandaccessreview/pdf
	This definition is used to measure take-up of the dynamic range of services available to residential and business consumers that are classed by the industry as broadband and to make comparisons with other European countries.
	My Department has neither commissioned nor evaluated broadband kbit/s rates used in other EU member states as the independent regulator, Ofcom, is responsible for the communications regulatory framework in the UK. Ofcom's final decision published in Review of the Wholesale Broadband Access Markets was communicated to the European Commission and the regulatory authorities in other member states as required by EU communications directives designed to create harmonised regulation across Europe.

Communications Act

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many prosecutions there have been for the sending of illegal spam under the Communications Act 2003.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 9 October 2006
	There have been no such prosecutions under the Communications Act 2003 and I do not expect any in the foreseeable future. This does not mean that spammers are evading the law. The vast majority of spammers work outside UK jurisdiction and problems within the UK are addressed by the Information Commissioner using powers granted under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003. These Regulations set out the consent rules for receiving unsolicited commercial emails. The Information Commissioner's investigations into breaches of the Regulations have resulted in enforcement actions that have been effective and have not needed to be progressed to a prosecution. Our approach to the problem of spam does not rely on regulation and enforcement alone. We pursue a more comprehensive approach that involves consumer education, technical solutions and effective enforcement through national action and collaboration with other enforcement authorities. My Department has been one of the principal drivers of the OECD's London Action Plan that exemplifies this multi-faceted approach.

Departmental Expenditure

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much his Department spent on taxis in the last 12 months.

Jim Fitzpatrick: In the 12 months to September 2006 the Department of Trade and Industry has spent 293,000 on the use of taxis both in the UK and abroad.

Departmental Mail

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the Department's mail is shipped using private companies; and what the cost was over the last 12 months.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department uses Royal Mail and Parcelforce for a large proportion of its outgoing external mail and only a very small percentage0.4 per cent.of our mail is sent via private companies. This is primarily made up of international courier shipments and the cost over the last 12 months was 69,700.

Departmental Property

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what items were reported within his Department as being lost or stolen in each month since July 2005, broken down by building; and what the approximate value was of each item.

Jim Fitzpatrick: 119 items were reported as either lost or stolen in DTI's three London buildings since July 2005. The breakdown and total approximate value is in the following table:
	
		
			  Item  Number Reported Missing  Approximate Value () 
			 ICT Equipment 34 25,329.00 
			 Mobile phones and equipment 22 2,200.00 
			 Personal Effects, inc cash 63 1,931.00 
			 Totals 119 29,460.00

Departmental Staff

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many disabled people were hired by his Department in each of the last five years for which figures are available; what percentage of the overall workforce these figures represented in each year; and how many disabled people left their employment in his Department over the same period.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Data on the disabled status of civil servants entrants and leavers are available for 2003, 2004 and 2005. Data are published on the Cabinet Office website at: http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/reports/index.asp.
	Comparable information for earlier years is not available.
	Departmental records of disabled staff are based solely on voluntary self-declaration of disability. Staff may choose to declare a disability at any point in their career, not only at the point of entry to the Department.

Employment Rights

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what new employment rights have been provided by legislation introduced since 1997.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 16 October 2006
	In addition to creating record levels of employment, we have also introduced a safety net of protections for people at work:
	A minimum wage of 5.35 an hour from October 2006;
	A minimum wage for 16 to 17-year-olds, up to 3.30 from October 2006;
	A free choice to work longer, but a right not to work more than 48 hours on average a week;
	Rest periods;
	Four weeks' paid leave;
	Access to a discipline and grievance procedure;
	A reduction in the qualifying period for unfair dismissal from two years to one;
	Protection for workers raising concerns about wrongdoing at work (through the Public Interest Disclosure Act);
	Comprehensive reform of the Regulations governing employment agencies and businesses;
	Increased maternity leave;
	Paternity leave, adoption leave, parental leave and time-off for domestic emergencies;
	A right to request flexible working with an obligation on employers to treat the request seriously.
	A right to no discrimination on grounds of religion or belief, disability, sexual orientation or age;
	Equal treatment for part-time and fixed-term employees compared with their full-time or permanent colleagues;
	A right for employees to be informed and consulted by their employer;
	Revised and updated TUPE regulations.
	For trade union members we have provided:
	A right to trade union recognition for collective bargaining in specified circumstances;
	A right for a union official to accompany a worker to a disciplinary or grievance hearing;
	Enhanced protections against unfair dismissal for employees taking part in lawfully organised industrial action, including the 12 week period of automatic protection against dismissal;
	Improved rights to belong to trade unions, including rights to use the services of the union.

Energy Markets

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the cost to British consumers and industry of lost opportunities in those EU countries which have not liberalised their energy markets.

Malcolm Wicks: We have made no estimate of such costs to the UK. However we believe the gains to be had from a properly functioning EU energy market in terms of reliable, affordable and sustainable energy are significant. For example we estimate that a properly functioning competitive EU gas market could have saved UK consumers in the order of 5 billion in the calendar year 2005.
	The Government fully support the moves the Commission is taking to develop competition in the sector and look forward to its proposals for further action when it publishes its Strategic Energy Review and the conclusions from the sectoral inquiry in January.

Enterprise Insight

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what  (a) gifts and  (b) payments have been made by Enterprise Insight to celebrity ambassadors.

Margaret Hodge: We understand that Enterprise Insight does not pay any of its celebrity ambassadors for their support of and participation in the Make Your Mark campaign. Occasionally, small gifts have been given to a celebrity ambassador to thank them for giving their services for free.

Fire Service

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what guidance his Department has given to  (a) fire authorities and  (b) fire brigades on the working time directive and retained fire fighters.

Jim Fitzpatrick: My Department provides general guidance on the limits on working time and the entitlements provided for in the Working Time Regulations 1998.
	Other Departments may also provide their own guidance for sector specific purposes.

Fireworks

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the merits of introducing a ban on the retail sale of fireworks.

Jim Fitzpatrick: None.

Flexible Working

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to ensure that those who care for people with a fluctuating condition will be able to exercise their right to request flexible working.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 20 October 2006
	Under the Work and Families Act 2006, we are extending the right to request flexible working to carers of adults, with effect from 6 April 2007. Carers will include qualifying employees who care for people with a fluctuating condition. We will be working with stakeholders to raise awareness of the extended right.
	We will be laying amended flexible working regulations by the end of this year and, in the accompanying guidance, we will address issues which are likely to be of particular interest to employees caring for people with a fluctuating condition, including the use of trial periods and reviews.

Fuel Prices

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on the price differential between diesel fuel and unleaded petrol in  (a) the UK and  (b) other European countries; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 20 October 2006
	In recent months, I am aware of four letters to the DTI on the subject of the price differential between diesel and unleaded petrol fuels: three relating to price variation across the UK and one relating to comparisons between the UK and other EU countries.
	Petrol and diesel are commodity products whose retail price variation is primarily a result of free market forces, and fuel taxation. In the UK, retail sales of unleaded petrol and diesel are both subject to the same levels of duty and taxation. Fuel taxation in other European countries is a matter for individual states.

Furniture Sector

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people are employed in the furniture sector in the UK; and how many were employed in the sector in  (a) 1980,  (b) 1990 and  (c) 2000.

Margaret Hodge: Employment in the furniture manufacturing industry (standard industrial classification SIC 31.6) in the UK in  (a) 1986,  (b) 1990,  (c) 2000 and  (d) 2004 (the latest available figures for the UK) are as follows:
	
		
			   Employment (000) 
			 1986 107 
			 1990 124 
			 2000 155 
			 2004 126 
			  Source:  ONS, Annual Census of Production and Annual Business Inquiry. 
		
	
	Information on employment in the furniture manufacturing industry prior to 1986 is not available on a basis consistent with the figures presented in the table, due to changes in the standard industrial classification structure.

Furniture Sector

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his Department's long-term policy is towards the furniture industry.

Margaret Hodge: The DTI has been carrying out a review of its Business Relations functions. This has included looking at whether we are concentrating our resources on the right sectors and issues, taking into account the value that our business relations activities can add. I am currently considering the review recommendations with ministerial colleagues.

Furniture Sector

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met representatives of the furniture industry.

Margaret Hodge: There have been no recent meetings between the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and representatives of the furniture industry.
	My hon. Friend the Deputy Leader of the House formerly the Minister for Small Business, spoke at a reception for the Furniture Industry Strategy Group on 25 January 2005, at the Furniture Show, NEC Birmingham.
	DTI officials have continued to maintain a regular dialogue previously with the Furniture Industry Strategy Group (FISG), with the newly formed British Furniture Confederation and with UK First, the Furniture Industry Forum.

Furniture Sector

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much the furniture industry was worth to the UK economy in the last period for which figures are available.

Margaret Hodge: According to figures published by the Office for National Statistics, the gross value added by the furniture manufacturing industry (defined as Group 36.1 of the Standard Industrial Classification) was 3.5 billion in 2004, the latest year for which data are available.

Furniture Sector

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support his Department is giving to the furniture industry in the UK.

Margaret Hodge: In September 2003 the DTI began providing support to UK First, the Furniture Industry Forum, with 1.75 million provided over 4frac12; years to support the UK furniture sector, and provided a forum for sharing best practice and developing a long term strategy for success. Savings to date for companies in the sector have reached over 3.1 million.
	We also encouraged the establishment of the Furniture Industry Strategy Group in 2003 to help the sector address key areas affecting productivity and competitiveness. The Strategy Group has helped establish the British Furniture Confederation, which is working to promote the interests of the sector.

Furniture Sector

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the number of lives saved in the UK by flammability regulations on furniture.

Ian McCartney: The DTI commissioned the University of Surrey to research the effectiveness of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. The resulting reportEffectiveness of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988was published in June 2000 and copies were placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The report's findings were 'extremely good news'. At a conservative estimate, the Regulations had saved at least 710 lives (1,860 when additional factors are taken into consideration) and prevented at least 5,770 injuries from 1988 to 1997. Recent figures from the Department for Communities and Local Government show that the downward trend in deaths and injuries has continued.

Illegally Imported Furniture

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with  (a) the Department for Communities and Local Government and  (b) trading standards enforcement officers on the health and safety compliance of illegally imported furniture.

Ian McCartney: The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has policy responsibility for fire safety, setting clear priorities for the fire and rescue service. It is not responsible for the health and safety compliance of imported furniture, and as such I have not discussed this issue with DCLG. Trading Standards is responsible for enforcing the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, and my officials regularly liaise with its officers on matters arising from these regulations.

Internet Neutrality

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the Government's policy is on internet neutrality; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The Government are looking at the issue of net neutrality in the context of the EU review of the regulatory framework for electronic communications. Our current view is that in a competitive market customers can benefit from a choice of prices and access speeds set by the access provider. This will work as long as customers understand what they are paying for and can change service provider if they wish to quickly, easily and cheaply. On this basis, we believe that competition law should suffice in dealing with any issues arising. While this is not currently an issue in Europe or the UK we are keeping the situation under review.
	Details about the EU review (including links to Commission papers) can be found on the DTI website: http://www.dti.gov.uk/sectors/telecoms/2006review/page26449.html

Ministerial Visits (Accommodation)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 25 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1524W, on ministerial visits (accommodation), why the total amount spent on overnight accommodation rose between 2004-05 and 2005-06.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Ministerial visits overseas are determined by the need to represent the UK at international negotiations and other business fora.
	As indicated in my earlier reply, 25 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 1524-25W, 2005-06 includes travel costs for the six-month period when the UK held the EU Presidency.
	DTI Ministers also attended the WTO Doha round of negotiations in Hong Kong and participated in the Prime Minister's trade summit to India and China.
	Under the terms of the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, when travelling on official business, Ministers are expected to make efficient and cost effective travel arrangements.

Nuclear Stocks

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the written statement of 20 July 2006,  Official Report, column 54WS, on civil plutonium and uranium stocks, if he will clarify the reason for the 200 kg reduction in the quantity of plutonium contained in unirradiated MOX fuel or other fabricated products at reactor sites or elsewhere; in what part of the reprocessing process the plutonium is lost; where it is now; what his definition of down-blending is; and who is responsible for accounting for such materials.

Malcolm Wicks: Further detailed analysis of the Annual Statement has identified that a clerical error occurred in the allocation of material to the appropriate Civil Unirradiated Plutonium category.
	This has resulted in the figure for plutonium in unirradiated MOX fuel or other fabricated products at reactor sites or elsewhere being less than it should be. This has not affected the total plutonium holding. Revised figures for the UK's stocks of civil plutonium and uranium will be placed in the Libraries of the House and the Department's website once they have been verified.
	The material has not physically moved and has been accounted for on a monthly basis. The material in question is not part of any process losses.
	Down-blending is the opposite process to enrichment. Uranium with a high U-235 content is mixed with uranium with a lower U-235 content to give a product with an intermediate U-235 content, which depends on the relevant proportions of the start materials. In this instance high enriched uranium residues, recovered during decommissioning operations at the Capenhurst Gaseous Diffusion Plant, are blended with either low enriched uranium or depleted uranium to give a product containing less than 5 per cent. U-235.
	The accounting of such materials is the responsibility of individual site licence companies.

Oil Industry

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on which occasions during the last 10 years did stocks of Category 2 refined oil products fall short of the UK's Compulsory Stocking Obligations; and by what proportion stocks of Category 2 products fell short on each occasion when the Compulsory Stocking Obligation was not met.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 19 October 2006
	The following table shows the percentage shortfall in the UK's Category 2 obligation by month since January 1998. Where no shortfall is shown the UK was compliant or in surplus. Data by category are not available prior to 1998.
	
		
			   1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 January-16  -12 -8   
			 February-10  -11 -10   
			 March-8 -3 -7 -11   
			 April -1   -4 -1 -5 -6  -2 
			 May   -2 -2 -3 -5 -6   
			 June -4   -2  -12 -2  -3 
			 July  -11
			 August-2 -4 -9 -7   
			 September   -3 -6 -5 -11
			 October   -8   -4 -1   
			 November -2  -5   -1
			 December   -9  -7 -5  -4  
		
	
	The failure to meet that part of our obligations relating to Category 2 was caused by market changes, with small companies below the threshold for the obligation entering a supply chain previously dominated by oil companies. In 2003 and 2004 we agreed short-term additional obligations with the industry, which have ensured a surplus in most subsequent months. We also held a public consultation, and are working with industry on a new system, based on product from refineries or entering the UK as imports, capable of meeting the national obligation in the long term.

Peugeot

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what  (a) Government and  (b) EU grants Peugeot has received in the last 15 years; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 18 October 2006
	In 1994, Peugeot received 900,000 for investment in the 306 model, followed by 2 million in 1998 towards the cost of investment to add a third shift at a time of strong demand for its 206 model. In November 2004, a grant of 14.4 million was offered to Peugeot for manufacture of the 207 at Ryton, but the project did not proceed.
	The Government also offer various forms of technology grant. Peugeot has participated in consortia which have received grants, although it is not believed that the company has received any direct funding.
	The Government are not aware of Peugeot's UK activities having received any RD grants direct from European Union institutions. The Government do not routinely collate data regarding grants received by automotive companies elsewhere in the EU from either the EU itself or other Governments.

Post Office Closures

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many proposed post office closures have been withdrawn following the formal consultation period in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The information is not available in the format requested.
	Over the last five years, Post Office Ltd. carried out its planned closures of post office branches in urban areas under its Urban Network Reinvention Programme. All proposed closures were managed through a formal consultation process agreed with and monitored by Postwatch, the independent consumer watchdog.
	Under the urban reinvention programme, a total of 76 post office branch closure proposals were permanently withdrawn following the consultation process. The programme is now complete.

Public Limited Companies

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the statement by the Minister of State for Industry and the Regions to Standing Committee D on 13 July 2006,  Official Report, column 703, on Clause 399 of the Company Law Reform Bill, whether it is his intention that a UK public limited company would be required to report on its relationship with suppliers overseas within the Business Review in order to comply with subsection (4) of Clause 399 if it purchases products from them indirectly via an importer.

Margaret Hodge: All public companies must produce a Business Review, as required under what is now clause 423 of the Companies Bill. Subsection (4) requires the Business Review to be a balanced and comprehensive analysis of the company's business, consistent with the size and complexity of the company's business. It is for the directors to judge whether information on suppliers overseas is relevant in this context. In the case of quoted companies, the Government believe it right that information on contractual and other relationships essential to the business should be included in their directors' Business Review to the extent necessary for an understanding of the development, performance or position of the company's business. I have tabled an amendment to the Bill to this effect.

Radioactive Waste

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry from which countries  (a) radioactive waste and  (b) spent fuel has been received but not yet returned since February; and what the (i) radioactivity level and (ii) quantity held is in each case.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 20 October 2006
	The UK does not allow the import of radioactive waste, but overseas spent fuel is received in the UK for reprocessing.
	There has been no spent fuel received since February 2006.

Sellafield

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many freedom of information requests have been made to his Department in respect of Sellafield since January 2005; how many have received a substantive reply providing the information requested; how many have been refused; and on what grounds each refusal was made.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department has received five FOI requests in respect of Sellafield since January 2005.
	Of those five requests, two were refused in full under s12 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 as the cost of compliance would have exceeded the appropriate limit cost threshold. The requesters were offered advice and assistance on how to refine their requests but did not take up this opportunity.
	One request was refused in full under s36 of the Act, exempting information whose disclosure would prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs, and another was refused in part under the same exemption.
	The final request was refused in part with some information withheld under the exemptions at s41 exempting information provided in confidence and s43 exempting information whose disclosure would prejudice commercial interests.

Small Businesses

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support his Department provides for small business start-ups.

Margaret Hodge: Services for small business start-ups are provided primarily via Business Link. If people are thinking of starting a business, or have recently started one, they can call 0845 600 9 006 for information, advice and support. Business Link can:
	help people plan their business;
	explain what they need to do and give them advice on raising the money they need;
	provide useful No Nonsense guides to help develop their business and follow regulations;
	tell them what other help is available, from training and developing skills to advice about which regulations apply to them; and
	give simple and effective introductions to experts and advice from across the public, private and voluntary sectors.
	Through Business Link, start-up businesses can receive a copy of the new No-Nonsense Guide to Starting Up in Business, packed with useful advice, information and suggested actions.
	In addition, the website, www.businesslink.gov.uk, is full of useful information, links to other helpful websites, and practical advice to help in planning and succeeding in business, and can help customers to assess whether they are ready to go into business.

Small Businesses

Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to encourage and promote the development of small businesses in North East Derbyshire.

Margaret Hodge: From 1 April 2007 East Midlands Business (EMB) Ltd will deliver the Business Link service, of Information, Diagnosis and Brokering, across the region including NE Derbyshire. The move to a regional model will support improvements in the service to customers and deliver better value for money for the public purse. Steps have already been taken to ensure resources are focussed on front line delivery to small businesses.
	EMB Ltd will invest in state of the art technology to provide a more consistent service to clients and extended service availability. Brokers will be available to give specialist advice to rural businesses; tourism businesses; women-owned businesses; social enterprises; ethnic minority owned businesses; and to give advice on overseas trade and exporting.
	As well as these improvements to business support there are also other programmes on offer to small businesses in the area to assist both start-up and expansion. These include:
	The Universal Start-up Offerthis includes the New Business New Life campaign promoting enterprise, as well as a package of tailored information, training and advice to start up businesses (delivered under the Business Link banner).
	Business Mentoring Programmeto give 1-1 mentoring support.
	Support for companies with the potential for High Growth.
	The Manufacturing Advisory Serviceto promote innovation and efficiencies within manufacturing companies.
	Prince's Trust programme which provides assistance to disadvantaged young people to start businesses.
	In addition to the above there are a number of other schemes to assist business development in NE Derbyshire. These include a variety of European Regional Development Fund technology and finance initiatives, an Innovation Advisory Service, and the Enterprise Accelerator. Local small businesses can access these through their local business link or via the Alliance Subregional Strategic Partnership (SSP).
	All of the above constitute a comprehensive package of support to encourage the expansion and development of small businesses in NE Derbyshire.

Tumble Dryers

Chris McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions his Department has had with CORGI regarding the installation of gas-powered domestic tumble dryers.

Jim Fitzpatrick: None. Issues relating to installation of gas appliances are matters for the Health and Safety Executive. I am advised by HSE that they have not been approached by CORGI regarding the installation of gas-powered domestic tumble dryers.

Woodchips

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment his Department  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the availability of woodchips for burning as a renewable fuel; whether he has assessed the impact of woodchip incineration on the wood panel industry; and what representations he has received from the Woodpanel Industries Federation in respect of industrial competition for woodchip stocks.

Malcolm Wicks: The DTI commissioned an independent report to aid understanding of the current and likely future impact of the Renewables Obligation (RO) on the wood-based panel industry relative to other factors affecting the commercial position of that industry; and to help the DTI develop a deeper understanding of the wood fuels/products supply chains as it applies to the wood-based panel industry and power generators. This report concluded in September 2005 that the RO has not had a major impact on the commercial competitiveness of the wood panel industry. A further report on the Economics of Co-firing examined the availability and economics of different renewable fuels including wood chips and wood residues. The report published on 9 October 2006 can be found at: http://www.dti.gov.uk/fi1es/file34449.pdf?pubpdfdload=06%2F1959
	The Woodpanel Industries Federation has met with officials to discuss the impact of the RO on their industry.

HEALTH

Abortions

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions were performed in each former primary care trust area in the former Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Strategic Health Authority area in each of the last five years; and in which hospitals they were performed.

Caroline Flint: The information is shown as follows.
	
		
			  Total number of abortions for residents of Hampshire, Isle of Wight and surrounding area by health authority, 2001 
			  Health authority of residence  2001 
			 Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and South East Hampshire 1,816 
			 North and Mid Hampshire 1,365 
			 Southampton and South West Hampshire 1,462 
		
	
	
		
			  Total number of abortions for residents of Hampshire and Isle of Wight by Primary Care Trust (PCT), 2002-05 
			   2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic Health Authority 4,648 4,898 5,052 5,028 
			 Blackwater Valley and Hart PCT 435 545 557 498 
			 East Hampshire PCT 349 402 367 374 
			 Eastleigh and Test Valley South PCT 359 309 408 370 
			 Fareham and Gosport PCT 462 434 455 470 
			 Isle of Wight PCT 295 275 284 239 
			 Mid Hampshire PCT 382 411 369 394 
			 New Forest PCT 359 389 393 378 
			 North Hampshire PCT 516 552 573 538 
			 Portsmouth City PCT 721 766 792 873 
			 Southampton City PCT 770 815 854 894 
			  Notes: 1. For reasons of confidentiality and in line with ONS guidance, place of termination is not released. 2. Information by PCT is not available prior to 2002.

Ante-natal Care

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to ensure that the needs of women with new babies  (a) whose command of English is poor,  (b) with mental illness or drug misuse and  (c) who are from parts of the world where infections such as (i) HIV, (ii) hepatitis B and (iii) syphilis are more prevalent, are not neglected under the choose and book system due to a reduced likelihood of their arranging an appointment for ante-natal care.

Ivan Lewis: The maternity standard of the national service framework for children, young people and maternity services asks all national health service maternity care providers and primary care trusts (PCTs) to improve the access and effectiveness of maternity services for women from disadvantaged and minority groups and communities by systematically taking account of the reasons why women from these groups find it difficult to access and maintain contact with maternity services, and by actively designing services to overcome these barriers to care. The standard also asks maternity care providers and PCTs to make provision for translation, interpreting and advocacy services based on an assessment of the needs of the local population.
	We have put into place a concentrated work programme to implement the maternity standard and to meet the manifesto commitment and Our Health, Our Care, Our Say White Paper commitments on maternity. Some of the key areas we are focussing on are choice and broadening access to services for vulnerable women.

Audiologists

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the waiting times for audiology treatment are in  (a) West Sussex and  (b) England.

Ivan Lewis: The Department does not collect waiting time information for fitting and treatment in audiology services. Since January 2006 waiting time data has been collected for pure tone audiometry (PTA) diagnostic tests and the most recent information from July 2006 was published on 13 September. Information on England and West Sussex for PTA diagnostic tests is contained in the following table.
	A trajectory has been set to deliver audiology diagnostic tests within 13 weeks by March 2007 and 6 weeks by December 2008. A national audiology action plan is being developed that will include action on waiting times.
	
		
			  July diagnostic returnPure tone audiometry (published 13 September) 
			   Total waiting  Number waiting 13+ weeks  Number waiting 26+ weeks 
			 National Summary 128,082 81,346 58,038 
			 Western Sussex PCT 127 61 31

Breast Cancer

Celia Barlow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to deliver accurate and complete symptomatic breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and performance monitoring data to the same standard as that produced for cancers detected through the NHS Breast Screening Programme.

Rosie Winterton: The Department is in the process of discussing the harmonization of breast cancer symptomatic and screening services with key stakeholders, including the Advisory Committee on Breast Cancer Screening.
	Additionally the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence is in the process of developing clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of both early and advanced breast cancer, due to be published in July 2008, which will address diagnostic investigations.
	In the interim the Manual of Cancer Services, against which cancer networks are peer reviewed, includes breast cancer measures on diagnostic assessment.

Cancer Referrals

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of suspected cancer cases were seen within two weeks of a referral in each of the last 20 years.

Rosie Winterton: The information is not held centrally for the period requested. The two week out-patient waiting time standard for all urgent general practitioner referrals for suspected cancer was introduced in 2000. From an audit of waiting times in 1997, 63 per cent. of people with suspected cancer were seen by a specialist within two weeks of urgent referral by their GPtoday the figure is 99.9 per cent. From August 2001, data on national health service performance on all cancer waiting times targets have been published quarterly on the Department's website at http://www.performance.doh.gov.uk/cancerwaits/.

Carers

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what progress the Department of Health has made on the commitment contained in the White Paper, Our health, Our care, Our say to establish an expert carers programme;
	(2)  whether there will be a formal public consultation on the commitment contained in the White Paper, Our health, Our care, Our say, to provide short-term home-based respite support for carers in crisis or emergency situations;
	(3)  if she will make a statement on the requirement for local councils to establish short-term home-based respite support for carers in crisis or emergency situations, as set out in the White Paper, Our health, Our care, Our say, with particular reference to  (a) the eligibility criteria,  (b) the time scale and  (c) the budget for the implementation of this commitment.

Ivan Lewis: The overall budget and associated criteria and time scales for taking forward these commitments are being determined. We are currently scoping out how the relevant work streams will be taken forward.
	The Princess Royal Trust has already undertaken a survey, on our behalf, of existing support for carers along similar lines to the expert patient programme and has ascertained that much relevant activity is under way. In consultation with the national carers' organisations, we are therefore developing delivery models for a programme that will build on and support existing activity.
	Similarly, we intend to build on examples of existing good practice in developing the provision of respite care in emergency or crisis situations. We are not planning a formal public consultation at national level but again will work closely with national organisations in developing the arrangements and will expect local authorities to take into account the views of their local populations in planning and developing their services.

Cloned Animal Ingredients

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her policy is on the  (a) labelling and  (b) sale of food products including ingredients derived from cloned animals.

Caroline Flint: The sale of foods and food ingredients derived from cloned animals falls within the scope of the Novel Foods Regulation (EC) 258/97. The authorisation and labelling of novel foods is decided on a case-by-case basis and no applications have been received to date for products derived from cloned animals.

Corporate Purchasing Cards

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many corporate purchasing cards have been issued within the national health service.

Andy Burnham: 338 Government procurement cards have been issued within the national health service.

Delayed Discharges

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many delayed discharges there were in each quarter in the last three years for which figures are available, broken down by local authority.

Ivan Lewis: A table of the data relating to the number of delayed discharges there were in each quarter broken down by local authority for the last three years for which figures are available has been placed in the Library.

Dementia

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the cost of dementia to  (a) the NHS and  (b) social services departments for (i) 2004-05 and (ii) 2005-06.

Ivan Lewis: No assessment has been made by the Department estimating the costs of dementia to the national health service and social service departments for 2004-05 and 2005-06.

Dementia

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what projections she has made of the number of people with dementia in England in  (a) 2010,  (b) 2020,  (c) 2030,  (d) 2040 and  (e) 2050.

Ivan Lewis: Projections can be made of the numbers of people with dementia in England. This is done by applying Office for National Statistics population projections to the data on the incidence and prevalence of dementia generated from research such as the Medical Research Council (MRC) funded cognitive function and ageing study (CFAS) for the United Kingdom and Alzheimer's Disease International's recent modelling of the global prevalence of dementia for western Europe.
	The approximate figures in UK are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of dementia sufferer 
			 2001 600,000 
			 2010 720,000 
			 2020 860,000 
			 2030 1,000,000 
			 2040 1,200,000 
			 2050 1,400,000

Dentistry

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government are taking to ensure that people on low incomes have access to free dental health care.

Rosie Winterton: Under the dental reforms introduced in England on 1 April 2006, those on low incomes remain exempt from national health service charges. The reforms are designed to support primary care trusts (PCTs) in improving access to NHS dental services. The Government have increased investment in primary care dentistry by over 400 million since 2003-04. PCTs now have greater flexibility to use resources to meet the needs of their local populations. For the first time, PCTs also retain resources locally when a dentist ceases to provide NHS services and use these resources to commission services from other dentists. The overall level of services being commissioned by PCTs is now higher than in 2005-06.

Dentistry

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists have been brought to the attention of the General Dental Council in the last two years, broken down by country in which they graduated for their initial dental degree.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not held centrally.

Departmental Carbon Emissions

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the total carbon emissions from her Department's buildings in each year since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: The reported carbon emissions (weather corrected) from the Department's administrative estate from 1999-2000, in KgC are as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 1999-2000 2,132,304 
			 2000-2001 1,994,142 
			 2001-2002 1,902,955 
			 2002-2003 1,977,187 
			 2003-2004 2,026,227 
			 2004-2005 1,916,133 
		
	
	The figures do not take account of the Department's purchase of green energy. Since 2003-4 at least 50 per cent. of our electricity has been from renewable sources.
	Information is not available for years prior to 1999.

Departmental Expenditure

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much was spent by her Department on food and alcohol for its staff working out of office in each year since 2001-02;
	(2)  how much was spent by  (a) her Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies in respect of hotel and other similar privately-provided accommodation (i) in the UK and (ii) abroad for  (A) Ministers,  (B) staff and  (C) other persons in each year since 2001-02.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The costs associated with hotel and other privately provided accommodation are not required to be separately identified by the Department's financial reporting system. All claims for general subsistence are in line with the Department's expenses guide and payments for alcoholic drinks are exceptional.
	Under the terms of the ministerial code, travel by Ministers, and the Civil Service Management Code, Ministers and departmental officials are expected to make efficient and cost-effective arrangements. We are satisfied that all claims paid conform to these codes.

Drug Misuse

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much her Department has spent on tackling drug misuse in each of the last 10 years.

Caroline Flint: Since 2001, the Department of Health and the Home Office have provided for drug treatment in the form of the pooled drug treatment budget (PTB). This funding is then allocated to the 149 drug action teams across the country to use, along with local mainstream funding, to provide for treatment and services according to the specific needs of each locality. We do not have information on drug treatment spend prior to 2001.
	Expenditure on drug treatment (excluding prison-based treatment) since 2001 is shown in the table.
	
		
			   Central Government funding (pooled treatment budget)  Local funding (local authorities, primary care trusts, police and probation)  
			   Allocation ( million)  Percentage increase  Allocation ( million)  Total funding ( million) 
			 2001-02 142 n/a 145 287 
			 2002-03 191 37 131 322 
			 2003-04 236 23 200 436 
			 2004-05 253 7 (1, 2)204 457 
			 2005-06 300 18 (1, 2)208 508 
			 2006-07 385 28 (1, 2)212 597 
			 (1) Estimated. (2) Local funding increases based on 2 per cent. inflation increase.

Expert Patient Programme

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have accessed the Expert Patient programme in each year since it was established; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: During the pilot phase of the programme from 2002 to 2004 the following number of people accessed the course:
	
		
			   Number of people 
			 2002-03 2,769 
			 2003-04 7,683 
			 2004-05 9,789 
		
	
	After the pilot when the expert patient programme was being mainstreamed through primary care trusts the following number of people accessed the course:
	
		
			   Number of people 
			 2005-06 12,636 
			 2006 to date 10,400

General Practitioners (Milton Keynes)

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioner practices in Milton Keynes primary care trust have closed their lists to new patients.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is not held centrally.

Hospices

Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of core budget requirements for the hospice movement in England is provided by central Government.

Ivan Lewis: Data supplied by Help the Hospices state that, in 2004 NHS funding for adult voluntary hospices averaged 38 per cent. of expenditure, although this figure varied across the country. It is for primary care trusts (PCTs) to determine how to use the funding allocated to them to commission services to meet the health care needs of their local populations. There is no requirement that PCTs should ensure voluntary hospices receive a fixed proportion of public funding and there are no plans to introduce a requirement. The level of funding agreed is a matter for local negotiation between the PCT and the hospice.

Lyme Disease

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of Lyme disease there are estimated to have been in England in each year since 1997; why the disease is not a notifiable disease; and what action her Department is taking to ensure that the disease is accurately recognised and treated.

Caroline Flint: The number of laboratory reports of Lyme borreliosis: England and Wales, 1997 to 2005, acquired in the United Kingdom or abroad are as follows:
	
		
			   Cases acquired in the United Kingdom)  Cases acquired abroad (percentage)  Total cases 
			   Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  
			 1997 140 83 28 17 168 
			 1998 137 85 25 15 162 
			 1999 119 81 29 19 148 
			 2000 246 77 76 23 322 
			 2001 215 81 53 19 268 
			 2002 269 79 71 21 340 
			 2003 265 91 27 9 292 
			 2004 425 85 75 15 500 
			 2005 488 82 107 18 595 
			 Total (1997 to 2005) 2,304 82 491 18 2,795 
			  Source: Health Protection Agency 
		
	
	These cases have been confirmed by laboratory testing. More cases will occur than those diagnosed in laboratories as infection can occur without any symptoms and, when symptoms are obvious, it can be diagnosed without the need for laboratory confirmation.
	Diseases are made 'notifiable' to aid rapid detection of other cases and to control the spread of serious infection from person to person. As Lyme disease is not transmissible from person to person it is not necessary to apply formal notification procedures to it. It is however reportable by laboratories to the Health Protection Agency (HPA).
	In order to ensure that Lyme disease is accurately recognised and treated, the HPA has produced protocols and guidance for clinicians on the clinical forms, diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease and this is published on its website:
	http://www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/zoonoses/lyme_borreliosis/menu.htm.
	Advice and laboratory diagnostic confirmatory testing is freely and readily available for all clinicians from the HPA's Lyme Reference Unit. Awareness of Lyme disease has been raised through presentations and publications aimed at many different groups of health care professionals. The dangers of Lyme disease have also been brought to the attention of workers who are at risk through occupational exposure, recreational special interest groups and to the general public.

Mental Health

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children had mental disorders severe enough to require treatment in each year since 1996.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not collected centrally. In a 2004 follow-up survey of children and adolescents by the Office for National Statistics (Mental Health of Children and Young People in Great Britain, ONS August 2005), it was found that 10 per cent. of 5 to 16-year-olds in Great Britain had a clinically diagnosed mental disorder. No change in the overall prevalence of mental disorders was found when compared to the original survey in 1999.
	The prevalence rates for individual disorders are shown in the report, which is available in the Library.

Mental Health

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time to see a child psychiatrist was in each year since 1999; and how many in-patient beds there were for young psychiatric patients in each year.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not collected centrally. The most recent available information on waiting times is from the 2005 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) mapping exercise. In November 2005, there were 26,207 cases waiting to be seen by specialist CAMHS in England, a reduction of 2,674 from the previous year.
	52 per cent. of new cases were seen by specialist CAMHS within four weeks, an additional 33 per cent. within 13 weeks, and a further 10 per cent. within 26 weeks. 5 per cent. of cases waited over 26 weeks to be seen by specialist CAMHS.
	The mapping exercise also collects information on the number of beds commissioned for Tier 4 in-patient care. The number of commissioned beds has increased by 4 per cent. from 651 reported in 2003 to 665 in 2004 and 680 in 2005.
	The Department is committed to ensuring that comprehensive CAMHS are available to all who need them. Our vision is set out in the National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services, published in September 2004, which is available in the Library.

Mental Health

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to implement the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines on entitlement to psychological therapy.

Rosie Winterton: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published guidelines on the treatment of depression and anxiety in December 2004. The guidance is available on the website www.nice.org.uk. NICE gave emphatic support to making evidence-based psychological therapies available as an adjunct or alternative to drug treatments for the treatment of mild to moderate depression, anxiety and schizophrenia. The Department of Health has taken the following actions to help implement the NICE guidelines:
	included psychological therapies alongside drug treatments in the National Service Framework for Mental Health (1999) to show they are just as important as drug treatments, and sometimes preferred by service users;
	published an evidence-based guideline Treatment Choice in Psychological Therapies and Counselling in 2001 to help GPs and professionals know more about the most effective treatments for particular conditions;
	published the booklet Choosing Talking Treatments in 2001 for service users and carers to help them know the questions to ask when seeking psychological therapies or counselling;
	published the practical guidance Organising and Delivering Psychological Therapies in July 2004 to help local services understand what best practice should involve. It contains recommendations for how to deliver:
	acceptable, user-friendly services which involve users and carers, provide information and enhance engagement and choice;
	accessible services which manage waits, co-ordinate services and ensure times and locations are appropriate;
	equitable services which reduce inequalities and ensure access for black and minority ethnic and other under-served groups;
	cost-effective services which are targeted, evidence-based, effective and provided locally; and
	safe services in which staff are well-trained and supported, and which are connected to clinical governance systems.
	The Government are committed to improving mental health services and this is why we support increasing the availability of evidence-based psychological therapies through our programme Increasing Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT), which began in May. We made improving the availability of psychological therapies a manifesto commitment in 2005, and it was a commitment we also made in the Our Health, our care, our say White Paper. The need to increase access to psychological therapies was also highlighted by Professor Louis Appleby, the national director for mental health, in his 2004 report on the progress made in implementing the national service framework for mental health.
	IAPT will provide a more effective and timely access to psychological therapies for people with mild to moderate mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, and by increasing the choice of treatments available to mental health service users.
	IAPT consists of two national demonstration sites in Newham and Doncaster and a national programme of local projects in each of the National Institute for Mental Health in England's eight regional development centres. The sites will test the theory that improved access to talking therapies can help tackle suffering, promote the well-being of the general population and have a significant economic impact by returning to work more people with depression or anxiety or help them stay in employment.
	IAPT forms a key part of the Government's Health, Work and Well-BeingCaring for Our Future strategy. IAPT, together with initiatives from the Department for Work and Pensions and the Health and Safety Commission, will define the best way to achieve these improvements over the next five to ten years. We expect IAPT to provide robust evidence in favour of increasing psychological therapy capacity and this will help to clarify the numbers of staff, the skills set and the training requirements needed to do this.

Mental Health

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were diagnosed with mental health problems in each primary care trust in each of the last 10 years, broken down by age and sex; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Information is not available in the form requested. The Office for National Statistics 2004 survey, Mental health of children and young people in Great Britain, looked at the prevalence of mental health disorders. It found that in the five to 10-year-old age group 10.2 per cent. of boys and 5.1 per cent. of girls has a clinically diagnosed mental disorder. In the 11 to 16-year-old age group, the prevalence among boys was 12.6 per cent. and 10.3 per cent. among girls. This shows no change in the overall prevalence in mental disorder among children since the 1999 survey.

Mesothelioma

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have died due to mesothelioma complications in each strategic health authority area in each year since 1997.

Anne McGuire: I have been asked to reply.
	Information on mesothelioma deaths by English strategic health authority is set out in the following table. Information specifically on deaths due to mesothelioma complications is not available.
	
		
			  Mesothelioma deaths in England, by strategic health authority, Wales, Scotland and Great Britain, 1997-2004 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003( 1)  2004( 1) 
			 North East England 126 100 119 123 154 127 112 134 
			 North West 175 174 200 198 248 234 231 224 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 110 139 153 136 167 168 184 176 
			 East Midlands 72 93 97 95 115 117 108 120 
			 West Midlands 100 112 99 132 110 131 133 138 
			 East of England 131 162 155 165 183 209 217 219 
			 London 157 150 159 162 175 189 157 186 
			 South East Coast 91 108 120 152 152 143 177 199 
			 South Central 113 125 139 126 151 133 150 151 
			 South West 106 171 165 136 175 171 172 171 
			  
			 England total 1,181 1,334 1,406 1,425 1,630 1,622 1,641 1,718 
			 Wales 55 51 50 66 73 74 74 67 
			 Scotland 131 155 158 140 158 170 166 179 
			  
			 Great Britain total(2) 1,367 1,541 1,615 1,633 1,862 1,867 1,885 1,969 
			 (1 )Data are provisional because of the possibility of late death registrations. (2) The total for Great Britain may include a small number of persons with overseas addresses.  Source: HSE, British Mesothelioma Register.

Mesothelioma

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are receiving treatment for mesothelioma in each strategic health authority area.

Rosie Winterton: We do not have information on patients currently being treated as data are gathered retrospectively.
	Information on finished admission episodes and patient counts for 2004-05 where the primary diagnosis was mesothelioma is shown in the table. The information is broken down by the strategic health authorities based on the residency of patients, not where the patients are treated.
	
		
			  Count of Finished Admission Episodes and Patients Primary Diagnosis (ICD-10 C45.0, C45.1, C45.9) Mesothelioma NHS Hospitals, England 2004-05 
			  Strategic Health Authority of Residence  Finished admission episodes  Patient counts 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic HA 341 122 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Strategic HA 85 52 
			 Essex Strategic HA 148 95 
			 North West London Strategic HA 81 41 
			 North Central London Strategic HA 57 31 
			 North East London Strategic HA 112 65 
			 South East London Strategic HA 151 57 
			 South West London Strategic HA 43 23 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Strategic HA 295 135 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley Strategic HA 199 78 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire Strategic HA 139 52 
			 West Yorkshire Strategic HA 131 79 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic HA 188 87 
			 Greater Manchester Strategic HA 267 86 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic HA 246 123 
			 Thames Valley Strategic HA 95 59 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic HA 138 107 
			 Kent and Medway Strategic HA 103 58 
			 Surrey and Sussex Strategic HA 167 100 
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Strategic HA 210 118 
			 South West Peninsula Strategic HA 184 84 
			 Dorset and Somerset Strategic HA 79 51 
			 South Yorkshire Strategic HA 103 52 
			 Trent Strategic HA 208 98 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland Strategic HA 162 66 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire Strategic HA 92 40 
			 Birmingham and the Black Country Strategic HA 82 46 
			 West Midlands South Strategic HA 76 41 
			 Wales 70 20 
			 Scotland * * 
			 Northern Ireland * * 
			 Foreign (inc. Isle of Man and Channel Islands) 13 10 
			 Unknown * * 
			 England 4,270 2,080 
		
	
	 Notes: 1. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed). 2. Due to reasons of confidentiality, figures between 1 and 5 have been suppressed and replaced with * (an asterisk). 3. A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. 4. Patient counts are based on the unique patient identifier HESID. This identifier is derived based on patient's date of birth, postcode, sex, local patient identifier and NHS number, using an agreed algorithm. Where data are incomplete, HESID might erroneously link episodes or fail to recognise episodes for the same patient. Care is therefore needed, especially where duplicate records persist in the data. The patient count cannot be summed across a table where patients may have episodes in more than one cell.  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The Information Centre for Health and Social Care.

Modernising Medical Careers

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether consideration is being given to delaying the implementation of Modernising Medical Careers; and if she will list the bodies which have requested her to do so;
	(2)  whether it is planned under Modernising Medical Careers to conduct induction training for all doctors below consultant grade on 1 to 3 August 2007.

Rosie Winterton: We expect all national health service employers to provide newly-employed doctors and other staff with induction training when they take up post. August has traditionally been a time when doctors in training change jobs.
	This was the case under Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) when we successfully launched the foundation programme in August 2005. In August 2007, we will begin the introduction of new specialty training programmes. We plan to help NHS trusts to manage the transition to the new programmes by phasing the take-up of places in new programmes over a period to coincide with existing trainees completing training and leaving current training programmes.
	MMC is a major initiative aimed to improve both patient care and doctors' training. For this reason it is subject to significant governance processes involving both the Department and the NHS. We are satisfied that MMC is proceeding satisfactorily and we do not consider it necessary to delay it. I understand that the Junior Doctors' Committee has voiced a number of concerns in the press, though they have not made a direct approach. Departmental officials have met with their representatives to discuss these concerns and are keen to engage further with all stakeholders to ensure smooth implementation of MMC.

Neonatal Care

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how she will implement the choice agenda in neonatal care.

Ivan Lewis: Neonatal care concerns the provision of specialist emergency care for very sick, premature babies. For that reason, it falls outside the scope of the current commitment to give people referred for planned hospital care a choice of provider.

Neonatal Care

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has for the development of a dedicated 24-hour neonatal transport service in England.

Ivan Lewis: The Department has facilitated the development of 24 local neonatal managed clinical networks across England to provide a more structured, collaborative approach to caring for newborn babies. It is for each network to determine the appropriate arrangements for neonatal transport within their area.

Organ Removal

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps she  (a) is taking and  (b) has taken to ensure that bereaved families wishing to raise issues regarding organ removal and retention in cases of sudden death which occurred before 2000 are provided with details of relevant post mortem reports;
	(2)  by what means she is publicising the rights of bereaved families to reclaim before 2007 organs which have been retained by hospitals without consent.

Rosie Winterton: In April 2001, ahead of a full review of the law in this area, the Government set up the Retained Organs Commission (ROC), a special health authority, to deal with issues arising from organ retention cases in England and Wales. The primary purpose of ROC was to manage the process by which national health service trusts provided information to relatives about retained organs and tissue and to ensure that organs and tissue were returned to those who requested them. In addition, ROC provided information and advocacy for relatives and families throughout this period.
	As part of its package of guidance, ROC made specific mention of the need to facilitate access to medical records wherever appropriate. ROC completed its work in March 2004. Thereafter, the Department funded a helpline provided by the National Bereavement Partnership, which ensures an ongoing source of information and help for families.
	More recently, the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) was set up under the Human Tissue Act 2004, which applies to England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Separate legislation was introduced in Scotland under the Human Tissue (Scotland) Act 2006. The 2004 Act followed the fundamental review of the law. The HTA has now issued its own guidance in its code of practice on the Removal, storage and disposal of human organs and tissue, which builds on and supersedes the previous guidance. The code sets out how NHS trusts should ensure full and sensitive communication around all aspects of requests for information, and to consider locally whether there is a need for any further publicity. In cases following a coronial post mortem, family members can request a copy of the report via the coroner's office.

Positional Plagiocephaly

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to alert  (a) general practitioners,  (b) health visitors and  (c) mothers to (i) the symptoms of positional plagiocephaly in newborn infants and (ii) the means by which the severity of the condition may be reduced.

Ivan Lewis: General practitioners and health visitors undertake a series of checks on health and development in children, known as the child health development programme, which is informed by professional guidelines, principally Health for all children. This includes guidance on detecting abnormalities in skull development, which may include positional plagiocephaly caused by allowing pressure to one part of a baby's skull over a period of time, typically during sleep and rest periods. This can cause a temporary flattening of a baby's head on the side the head rests upon which is commonly remedied by enabling babies to experience a range of positions during waking hours. The Department's guidance to parents on the first five years of their child's life Birth to five, and on reducing the risk of cot death, advocates babies being encouraged to experience a range of different positions and to play on their front when awake.

Public Smoking Ban

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when her Department will announce a date for the introduction of the public smoking ban in England.

Caroline Flint: We have already committed to implementing smokefree legislation in summer 2007. The specific implementation date will be announced shortly.

Royal College of Midwives

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when  (a) she and  (b) Ministers in her Department next plan to meet the Royal College of Midwives.

Ivan Lewis: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is scheduled to meet Dame Karlene Davis of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) on 24 October. I am scheduled to meet Dame Karlene Davis of the RCM on 26 October. No other Ministers have any plans to meet with the RCM.

Self-Care

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what work is being undertaken with health professionals' organisations to embed self-care in core curricula.

Ivan Lewis: The National Director for Primary Care is carrying out a programme of visits and engagements with the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board, the General Medical Council, and the medical Royal Colleges and Faculties to discuss and raise the profile of the self-care agenda. As a result, the Royal College of Physicians have included four self-care competences in their generic curriculum (covering 26 specialties). Officials are having parallel discussions with colleagues in college and faculty education departments to further develop self-care in core curricula. A programme of work with the nursing and allied health professional bodies will begin in the new year.

Self-Care

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what work has been undertaken with NHS employers to  (a) embed self-care in the knowledge and skills framework and  (b) embed self-care in job descriptions and annual appraisals under Agenda for Change;
	(2)  what action her Department is taking to develop a self-care competency framework for NHS staff.

Ivan Lewis: Skills for Health and Skills for Care will be consulting on a common core of self-care competences towards the end of the year. These have been developed in collaboration with carer and service user organisations and the Department. Work with national health service employers will follow on from the establishment of the common core competences.

Self-Care

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what monitoring her Department is undertaking of the implementation of self-care strategies; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: No targets have been set regarding implementation of self-care strategies. Self-care is part of the Government's strategy to put people more in control, to make services more responsive, to focus on those with complex needs and to shift care closer to home.
	The Government's framework document for self- care strategies is set out in Supporting people with long term conditions to Self Carea guide to developing local strategies and best practice a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

Services Commissioning

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance has been produced for strategic health authorities and primary care trusts in commissioning services through the NHS and Social Care Conditions Model; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: On 13 July 2006, the Department published Health Reform in England: update and commissioning framework. This document and its supporting annexe provided detailed guidance to strategic health authorities and primary care trusts on commissioning. The commissioning framework set out how commissioning will be strengthened through greater clinical and community engagement, better information, a range of new incentives and levers for commissioners, and through developing commissioners' capacity and capability. It included a particular focus on commissioning for hospital services covered by patient choice and the payment by results tariff.
	A second phase of the commissioning framework is currently being developed for publication at the end of the year. This will focus on strengthening commissioning for improved health and wellbeing and the joint commissioning relationship between health and social care. It will particularly emphasise how services for people with long-term conditions should be commissioned and will include a review of social care commissioning.

Specialist Falls Services

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospitals have a specialist falls service.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not held centrally. A national audit of falls and bone health services produced by the Royal College of Physicians in January 2006 found that 74 per cent. of trusts in England are part of a co-ordinated, integrated, multi-professional, multi- agency service for falls. The audit also found that 47 per cent. of acute hospitals and 57 per cent. of day hospitals had an operational base for the specialist falls service.

Waiting Lists

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people on NHS waiting lists there were in each of the last 20 years;
	(2)  how many patients waited more than six months for inpatient treatment in each of the last 20 years.

Andy Burnham: The figures requested are shown in the table.
	
		
			  Inpatient waiting list statistics: England, 1988 to 2006 
			Total number of patients waiting for admission  Number of patients waiting over six months for inpatient admission 
			   Month ending  Provider based  Commissioner based  Provider based  Commissioner based 
			 1988 March 876,246  381,226  
			 1989 March 922,676  408,755  
			 1990 March 958,976  400,518  
			 1991 March 948,243  369,541  
			 1992 March 917,717  270,817  
			 1993 March 994,974  272,654  
			 1994 March 1,065,369  303,885  
			 1995 March 1,044,051  241,218  
			 1996 March 1,048,029 1,017,304 208,484 203,235 
			 1997 March 1,158,004 1,131,201 289,574 283,866 
			 1998 March 1,297,662 1,276,965 382,432 377,164 
			 1999 March 1,072,860 1,060,356 279,627 276,752 
			 2000 March 1,037,066 1,024,654 268,275 264,370 
			 2001 March 1,006,727 995,123 245,991 242,953 
			 2002 March 1,035,365 1,021,604 241,684 238,091 
			 2003 March 992,075 975,338 192,452 189,054 
			 2004 March 905,753 890,205 82,071 80,125 
			 2005 March 821,722 808,810 41,416 40,843 
			 2006 March 784,554 771,107 921 206 
			   
			 2006 August 769,461 759,136 827 115 
			  Notes: 1. Before September 1987 waiting list excluded day case patients. 2. Waiting times figures not collected prior to 1987-88. 3. From April 2006, data collected in weeks and figures relate to patients waiting over 26 weeks. 4. Provider based figures include Welsh residents treated in English NHS Trusts. These patients are not subject to English waiting time standards.  Source: KH07 provider based return and QF01 commissioner based return.

Wanless Report

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she will implement the recommendations of the Wanless Report on Securing Good Care for Older People and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Department welcomed the publication of Securing Good Care for Older People, the King's Fund review led by Sir Derek Wanless into long-term social care for older people in England.
	The report is an important starting point that we need to feed into our work on the 2007 comprehensive spending review. To inform this work we are bringing in external experts. We are delighted that Sir Derek Wanless has agreed to be one of these experts.